Flaws & Love
by ShadowGrace
Summary: Elsie Gray was a normal girl with a mysterious, invisble tattoo. She's given up on the meaning of it, content to just sit around with her videogame-addict boyfriend and her older brothers. But then, thanks to a broken purse, Nick Jacobson walks into her life. Nothing is the same anymore. Despite her flaws, Elsie wonders if Nick could really be the one destined for her. Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

**Hola! I've noticed that there aren't that many fanfictions in this category (only two right now, sigh) but I've literally read the first books in a single day because I couldn't put them down! Anyway, like a great story always does, I immediately want to get on and see if I can write a fanfic for it. I hope you guys like it (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane, not me.**

_Full Summary_: Elsie Gray always wondered why she was different, why she had a strange star tattoo on her wrist that only she could see, why her biological parents put her up for adoption. On her eighteenth birthday, she gets the best gift of her life: a boy who she falls instantly in love with. The only problem? Her current boyfriend is not happy, she has no idea what to think about this new guy, and she has to discover who she really is. Elsie's life was definitely not perfect before, but now she's completely lost in a world that she thought she knew.

Maybe I was just stupid for thinking that just because it was my birthday something would change. I guess it's just my fault for being overly hopeful. Who could blame me, though? It's not every day that a girl turns eighteen. I just thought that maybe there was supposed to be this big explosion or something, and I'd be catapulted into a musical number of some sort, where handsome boys would sing about how wonderful I was. Of course, that was just a weird dream that I'd had a while back, but whatever.

My boyfriend of two years, Paul, was not here on time. I was starting to wonder if he even _remembered_ my birthday. I really did not want to go through the whole episode of last year, when he had forgotten our two-year anniversary. If he could forget when we got together, could he forget the day of my birth? You bet he could. Paul was an expert at "accidentally" forgetting things that he couldn't find the motivation to do. I was partly sure it was the whole idea of buying a present. Heck, I would've been happy with flowers, but he hadn't even gotten me that.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I fought with it for a second before finally slipping it out of my super skinny jeans. I was pretty sure that by the end of the night I was going to lose all the circulation in my legs, but you've got to do what you've got to do for beauty. And I thought I looked pretty dang good. I looked at myself again for the hundredth time (call it an insecurity) before sliding my fingers across the high-tech phone my brother had gotten me for my birthday.

Hanna had sent me another text. She was my best friend, but she sure wasn't good in the "make you feel better" department. She'd already given up on the idea that Paul was on his way to come get me, especially since he hadn't sent me a text or tried to call me. She actually officially gave up thirty minutes ago, when Paul was decidedly fifteen minutes late. There's nothing Hanna hates more than someone who can't be on time. Paul was just one of those people that got on her every nerve.

I was about to type back to her when the phone buzzed again, signaling an incoming call. My heart leapt in my throat for a minute, thinking it was Paul. The familiar beat of my heart quickly settled back down when Hanna's number came up on the screen. "Hello?"

"What a jerk. Dump him. Now."

"Hanna," I said with a sigh. "It's just one of his flaws. You _know_ that you can never find the perfect guy. You gotta love a guy even if he has flaws." Hanna was a hopeless romantic, with the idea of true, perfect love. I was the level-headed one that knew relationships were nothing like that. They were more stressful, and more often than not, a bunch of them didn't end well.

She snorted into the phone, a very unladylike noise. Hanna was somewhat of a hypocrite, I guess, because when she decided that true love wasn't there, she wasn't the type to hang around and see if it would work in the long run. She had her agenda and she was intent on getting it. "A _flaw_ is leaving his dirty socks on the kitchen table. Not being an hour late to pick you up for a date on your _birthday_."

"Um, ew?" I offered.

"Elsie. Get with the program. I love you, _chica_, and I swear you should've seen this coming." She sounded foreboding over the phone, her voice taking on a tinny, metallic voice that echoed strangely. "I told you from the very beginning that he was bad news."

"You did not." I said bluntly, sitting back on my bed. My super skinny jeans were compressing my legs into sticks, but I couldn't work up the nerve to care. My fingers played idly with the chain around my neck – the last gift I'd ever gotten from my adopted parents since they died a few years ago. Ever since then, my two older brothers, Royce and Nolan, have taken care of me. They were my parents' only biological children, but the two brothers acted like I'd always been a part of their family, even though I hadn't come into it until I was two or three years old.

"I told you that I didn't feel right about him." Hanna said pointedly. I couldn't really remember that far back to when Paul and I had first gotten together, but I had a feeling that she was exaggerating. More likely, she'd been ecstatic that I'd landed a boyfriend. Like I said, she was a hopeless romantic, believing totally in the whole Cinderella story thing.

"You say that about everybody."

"And ninety-five percent of the time I'm right." Hanna said decisively. "I'm telling you Elsie, you can't let him walk around on top of you like this. You're not his friggin' doormat. He can't come stomping on you whenever he feels like getting the mud off his boots."

"Han, have you been hitting the donuts again?" I asked. She had an extremely low tolerance for caffeine and sugar. One cup of coffee was enough to make her start acting like this, making up weird metaphors, or analogies, or whatever the heck they were called. But she had a secret soft spot for donuts. Especially chocolate glazed.

There was a long pause, and then, "That doesn't matter. What _does_ matter is your impending happiness! And it's totally not with I'm-always-late Paul."

"You need to drink a glass of water or something," I said back, ignoring her rant for the millionth time. More often than not, lately, all she ever did was bash Paul. I loved Hanna, and we had that whole best-friends-forever, I'm-going-to-tell-you-everything thing going on between us. But Paul _was_ my boyfriend, and I felt like I needed to defend him some way. "Besides, he's not always late. Maybe he had car trouble or something."

"Or _something_. You always make weird excuses for him, Elsie! You need to be _happy_."

"I'll work on it Han," I answered just as my phone vibrated with an incoming text. "Hold on," I said, opening up the message. It was from Paul. He was out front by the driveway, waiting for me. I closed out of the messaging screen and returned the phone to my ear. "He's out front. I've got to go."

"Wait!" She called out. I waited silently for her to continue, halfway down the hall before she said. "Think about it. Think about your happiness."

"Bye, Hanna," I said pointedly, pulling the phone away from my ear to press the big red END button. I loved the girl, but she was quite a handful, even after all of these years. Someone really had to be patient to be able to be her beau, her Prince Charming. I sort of felt sorry for whoever the guy was already.

"Happy birthday," Paul said, handing me a little wrapped box. It was just the perfect size to fit a nice pair of jewelry. _See,_ I told myself, _Paul hasn't forgotten about you. He would never forget about you_. I ripped through the paper and prepared myself for the jewelry that was going to be underneath the lid. Maybe it was a gorgeous promise ring, or a dainty necklace, or even a chunky bracelet. I pulled off the white lid and saw a… gift card.

"A gift card?" I whispered quietly, like my voice was just an echo. It was a gift card alright, for twenty dollars to the town's one and only videogame stop. I stared at it blankly, wondering how the heck I'd gotten a gift card that I would never use confused with a beautiful piece of jewelry. My stomach sort of twisted in knots, and I couldn't help but think of what Hanna had said. _Think about your happiness_.

_It's the thought that counts_, I chided myself. If all else failed, I could always use twenty dollars for a gift for Paul. Maybe even our third-year-anniversary, which was a short month away. I could even keep the card and just give it to him then. He probably wouldn't even know the difference. He'd be happy enough to get a down payment on a videogame, since he was hopelessly addicted to his gaming box. I didn't even know what the thing was called.

"Thanks," I said lightly, dropping the card back into the little white box. I put the lid on it and unceremoniously dropped it into my bag.

"They're coming out without another game soon," He said, as if I were going to take interest in whatever new videogames were coming out. I couldn't even play Mario Brothers. What did he think I was going to use this gift card for? "It's supposed to be the best one of the year."

"Really," I mused out loud. Paul was a huge sucker for videogames. It was pretty much his one weakness, besides banana bread. But banana bread took a long time to bake, and a promised trip to the videogame store was much easier.

"Yeah," He said, fingers tapping without a rhythm on the steering wheel. "It's got a ton of awards already." He added, looking out his window. From my seat at shotgun, I looked over him again. I thought Paul was cute, but Hanna said I was biased and that he was just average looking, with his cropped blonde hair, borderline pasty pale skin, and clear blue eyes. No one would've guessed that his favorite hobby was searching through the racks at the videogame store, as if they'd gotten something new over the past day or two.

"Cool," I said in reply, feeling lame for even talking about it. Seriously? _Videogames_? A little voice in the back of my mind told me that Hanna was right. I pushed it away. Who broke up with someone because of a flaw? That was a stupid way of thinking. Nobody would ever be perfect. It was a rule of life. It was something that you had to get used to. It was the ultimate sacrifice in love.

"So, while we're out, you want to go by the videogame store?" Paul offered. I caught sight of him in my peripheral vision. He had one of those huge, goofy grins across his face. The guy was excited at the idea of his games. I swear, he was more interested in those than in people, most of the time.

I leaned back in my seat and sighed. "Yeah, Paul, go ahead."

"Thanks, kiddo." He said. I wrinkled my nose at him, but he didn't see. He was already looking out the windshield of his car, speeding down the highway in the dead of the hot night. I didn't even try to correct him. I absolutely hated it when he called me kiddo. We were practically the same age. He wasn't even a full year older than me. I just crossed my arms across my chest, thinking that my super skinny jeans and flirty aqua blue top really went to waste. I'd gotten all dressed up for a date to the videogame store, for God's sake.

Paul took the next exit and looped around. The videogame store, Game Place, was located near the local drive-thru Mexican joint. I could smell their famous tomato-less, pepper-less queso. I'd rather my boyfriend take me to sit in one of their sticky booths instead of flicking through another familiar rack of videogames. Paul got his usual parking space and quickly turned off the engines. He was practically scrambling to get out of the car. I'd never seen him move was quickly for something as mundane as a game that would probably give him carpal tunnel in the near future.

I followed behind him, sliding the old, worn straps of my purse over my shoulder. I stepped over the curb, nearly tripping, but I guess it didn't matter because no one was watching. Paul was already feverishly searching through the racks inside, and his old buddy Martin was behind the counter, smacking on yet another piece of his bubblegum.

I opened the door, wincing at the annoying ding overhead that signaled my entrance. Martin looked lazily over at me, chewing loudly before slowly forming a bubble. It popped loudly in the silent room, and I let out a heavy sigh. I might as well just flip through the racks of games for something to do. Paul, the weirdo, could literally get lost in this store for twenty minutes without realizing that I was just sitting around, waiting to leave.

The door chimed again, and I glanced up to see who it was. Paul loved this store, so it was often a quick stop when we were hanging out and running around town. But it was rare that we have company in here, besides Martin or another worker behind the counter. While Paul was their most loyal customer, it wasn't saying much because the store was like a ghost town the rest of the time.

It was a guy. Not really a surprise, since guys are supposed to be more into gaming than girls. But he didn't look like a gamer, with a weird T-shirt that only gamers would get or nerdy glasses from staring at the TV screen for too long. No, he looked like he'd roamed in here by mistake. He twirled his keys idly around his finger as he looked around. Martin didn't even give out a greeting or an offer to help the guy find something. He seemed to know where he was, though, as he headed to the rack of new releases.

It was weird. I found myself totally entranced with just _watching_ the guy. He was dressed fairly appropriately for a warm Tennessee night, his jeans just the right amount of baggy and his T-shirt a plain charcoal gray. He had a thick chain necklace around his tanned throat, and his hair was dark and hanging down over his ears. It was a little messy, like he'd just run through a rough wind to get here. An imprint of a wallet was in his back pocket.

I finally managed to make myself look away, and my eyes caught with Martin's. He'd been watching me watching the stranger, and if that wasn't weird enough, he popped his gum and let his gaze drift to Paul. It sort of reminded me of a warning, like Martin was telling me to stop looking while I had a boyfriend in the same nearby vicinity. I wrinkled my nose at Martin, though he wasn't really paying attention to me anymore, since he was totally entranced by his gum wrapper.

I moved away from the rack, unable to not keep the new guy in some sort of line of sight. I flicked through the racks without really looking at the names, my fingers getting caught on the tags as I fumbled through the rows. The guy stepped away from the new releases, heading more towards the older stuff. For some strange reason, I felt like I should reach out and touch him. Like I should turn him around and make his eyes connect with mine.

The guy moved to walk behind me. I found myself holding my breath. Right at that moment, the straps on my old purse decided that they'd had enough, and promptly snapped. I scrabbled for my bag the moment I felt it falling away from me. Talk about embarrassing.

Paul's gift card, still tucked away in its box, rolled out of my purse, as well as a tube of lip gloss and the notepad that I always kept on me, full of my secrets writings. With a huff, I struggled to find a way to bend down and pick up my stuff without having my super skinny jeans constricting me to death or looking like an idiot. I was starting to feel that one of them, if not both, was bound to be true.

I bent my knees and reached over to grab my notebook first, my most prized possession that I kept on my person. It was just as important as my cell phone or my wallet, since it was full of lines. Ones that I would not want to fall into the wrong hands. Ones that were like the deepest interpretations of my soul.

Okay, a little morbid, but so what? They were _important_ to me.

The guy turned around, and I saw him reach over to help me pick up my things. Already feeling flustered and definitely embarrassed, I wasn't willing to meet eyes with him. I was even having a hard time figuring out how to utter my thanks. Which was why it was a complete fluke that, right when I reached out to snatch up my precious notebook, he reached for it the same time.

Our fingers brushed.

There was an instant feeling that invaded me, a warmth that spread through me. Actually, it was less of a warmth and more like an intense heat, like a fire that ignited deep inside me. My veins warmed and froze simultaneously, and it felt like my head was starting to spin. I started to feel like I was drowning, like I couldn't breathe. My mind went blank for a moment, and then everything moved at once.

Actually, I didn't move, but the pictures in my head did. I saw me. I was sitting at a baby grand piano, my fingers playing over the keys like they'd done so many times before. I could hear my voice, but it was muffled under a sea of fog. Someone was listening to me, leaning against me as I sang. I never sang in front of anybody, ever. My piano disappeared, and I was sitting on the beach, my feet dug into the sand. Someone sat beside me, the fabric of his shirt sleeve brushing against mine as the tides came closer. When the first bit of water washed over our feet, he leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. The beach whistled away, like it was sucked into oblivion, and replaced with a cutesy white house covered in flowers. I was holding a sun-tanned hand, our fingers gripped together so tightly that it almost hurt. It faded away into a new picture. I was happy, twirling around in a blood red dress, holding a hand attached to a body in a handsome tuxedo. The face of the guy was blurred, but I could tell that he wasn't there to hurt me. He was there because he was doing something for me. Because he cared about me.

The me spinning in a bright red dress disappeared with a pop, and I reeled back, dropping my notebook onto the grimy floor of the videogame store. I let out a sharp gasp, my breath returning to me as I huffed. I blinked, my hands clasped together as if I could feel whatever had happened to me on my skin. The guy easily picked up my notebook off the floor, his other hand scooping up my lip gloss and the box that Paul had given me.

"T-thanks," I stuttered out. I reached for my notebook, instinctively avoiding his fingertips. Something was bothering me, though. It felt like there was something else with me. A different thrumming that I'd never felt before. It was close to my heart, a gentle beat that reminded me of my own heartbeat.

"No problem. I'm Nick Jacobson." He said lightly. I managed to look up into his face for the first time since he stepped into the store. His eyes were a weird, turquoise color that leaned a little more towards blue than green. His dark hair, while shaggy and thick-looking, gave a slight curl at the ends. His lips quirked up into a half smile. He held out his hand.

"Elsie Gray," I said in reply, a little flustered as I forced myself to reach out and grab his hand. Our fingers brushed again, our palms pressing together. His fingers curled around my own. A rush of warmth spread across me, bursting over me like a dam breaking free. An intense feeling of wonder, followed by a soothing calm, washed through me. The weird, unnatural thrumming in my chest sped up with my own heartbeat.

"Elsie Gray," the guy, Nick, whispered. "Can I… can I have a word with you?"

**So, what do you guys think? I hope you've enjoyed this little chapter so far. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave it in the reviews (we all know that everybody likes reviews. Ha.)**

**I intend to keep writing this, if only to fuel my want to write on the incredible supernatural plot that Shelly Crane has created (and I'm so jealous.)**

**All of the characters in this chapter (^see above) are my own personal creations. Anyway, thanks for reading. Peace. (:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Happy New Year's Eve! (:**

**I'm glad you guys are enjoying this so far. So, here's the next little chapter, where we'll be finding out a little more about Elsie.**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I looked at him blankly. He really was handsome. I sort of felt bad for looking, since Paul was only racks away, while Martin was watching us very seriously. He was starting to remind me of a guy a few years ago who'd had a crush on me and had expressed it by staring at me but never talking to me. Weird, and slightly creepy.

"We are talking." I said, raising my eyebrows at him. My heart wouldn't slow down, though. It was thumping like crazy, like I'd just run a mile. Nick sort of cocked his head at me, his eyes extremely soft as he looked me over.

"Calm down," He said quietly. "And please, can we talk somewhere more… private?"

Calm down? I wasn't freaking out. I wasn't panicking. I didn't know what his _calm down_ was referring to. I glanced around the store. Besides the two of us, there was only Paul and Martin. "We are pretty alone." I said.

"I mean _alone_. Like, in front of the store." Nick said. His hand reached out to touch me. I usually would've pulled away from a forward move like that. I just don't do well with people that acted like I was didn't have my own personal boundaries. But instead of slyly moving away, my hand acted on its own accord, reaching out to meet his fingers. Immediately, my heart slowed down to its natural beat.

I stared blankly at my hand before yanking my fingers away from his. I glanced up and looked around the room. Paul had no idea that Nick was even here, talking to me. Martin was still watching, his eyes narrowed as he played with a pack of gum on the counter in front of him. I looked to the front of the store. It was pretty dark out, but the nearby streetlights left circles of light right at the door. And if Martin was watching, it was like he was doing me a favor instead of just being a creepy kid.

"I guess," I said. Nick flashed me a smile, and led the way to the door. He opened it for me and stepped out of the way so I could go through first. The ding above the door sounded, but no one even looked at us. Nick let the door close behind us. I leaned against the wall of windows at the front of the store. "So, what's up?" I asked.

Nick looked like he was shaking. He ran a hand through his hair. He cleared his throat, coughed, and looked up into my eyes. "Does the word Virtuoso mean anything to you?"

I closed my eyes. I felt like I should know that word. It wasn't like it was an SAT word or anything. I thought about it hard, squeezing my eyes shut. I could hear a vague voice, garbled and long gone say, "Those Virtuoso, they think they can do whatever they want."

"I don't know," I said after a moment. "I think I might have heard it, like, once."

Nick raised his eyebrows at me. "What about Aces? Ever hear of that?"

"Like, in cards?" I asked.

Nick cracked a smile and gave a low laugh. I liked the sound of his laugh, clear and deep. "No, not exactly," He said. "What about imprints?" He asked me leaning forward towards me. He was so incredibly close that I should've been uncomfortable, but I wasn't. I liked it, that he was so close to me. Paul never really got close to me at all. The most he ever did to show that we were together was to hold my hand in public, and maybe kiss my cheek if he was in a good mood. Nick towered over me, exceptionally broad in the shoulders, but he wasn't like a huge monster. He was like a… a bodyguard, a protector.

And it was scary how much that I wanted him to be close to me, how much I wanted him to stay by my side. "Like, a mark on something?"

"If you look at it like that, then yeah," He said, shrugging his shoulders. "But it's… it's when two people imprint on each other. It's when one person's soul sees another and decides that it's the perfect match. It's reciprocated between two souls. It makes them soul mates." He said.

"Soul mates," I repeated. It sounded like something Hanna would absolutely love. Not something that I would believe in.

"Yeah, soul mates," Nick said back. "And… well, you know that feeling you got when we touched?" So he'd felt it, too? I wasn't going insane? I didn't even have to do anything for him to give me a smile. "That was the imprint."

"Are you saying that we're… imprinted? Are you telling me that we're _soul mates_?" I demanded.

"Well, yeah." Nick replied. "I mean, I know you're confused, but our souls have chosen each other. They want us to be together. They want us to touch."

"Who?" I asked, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

"Our souls," Nick said. I stared at him like he was insane. I threw up my hands again when he didn't say anything else. Nick watched me for a second, and then reached out and grabbed a hold of my wrist. I wanted to yell at him to let go, but the moment his fingers tightened on my arm, I was instantly relaxed. I wanted to lean into him. I wanted him to lean against me and press his lips to mine.

"Where did you get this?" He asked, turning over my wrist. I looked down at the bare skin there. I had a mark there that I'd had my entire life. It was a star – or, at least, half a star. Two defined points and one upwards line, left open. I looked up at him blankly. We were so close to each other, him leaning down to see my wrist, that I could see myself standing up my tiptoes to press my lips to his. I bit down on my bottom lip hard to keep from acting it out.

"You can see it?" I asked. Nobody had ever been able to see my half star. Not even my parents. Not even my brothers. When I was younger, I'd point it out, and they always said that they never saw anything. I learned from an early age to pretend that it wasn't there, though if I got nervous, I would catch myself rubbing a thumb over it.

"Yeah," Nick said, "I can. Aces can see them. It's a tattoo that says you're an Ace, like me." He said.

"I've had it my entire life." I said, after a moment of quietness. He nodded, like he already expected it.

"Are… are you adopted?" He asked me.

"Yeah," I said, sort of incredulous. I mean, my friends and knew that I was adopted, but it's not something that I openly tell people. I mean, most people just assume that I'm the only blonde one out of a family of dark-haired people. But most don't ask anymore, since they've only seen my older brothers, who are fiercely protective of me. They always have been. It's funny, how some kids think that the adopted ones aren't as loved or whatever.

"Do you know where from?" He asked me.

I felt my eyebrows draw together. "Why do you want to know?" I said. My back was pressed against the windows. Martin could see me, right? If I screamed and ran, they would hear me, right?

"Just please, tell me." Nick said.

I searched his face. He didn't seem like one of those psychotic guys that was out to find girls off the street so he could shove them into his windowless white van and hide them in creepy basements. He also didn't seem like he was the type of guy to try to take advantage of any girl that was out. And he didn't exactly look like the stupid kind of guy – Martin and Paul were in there. Granted, they weren't big, strong types like Nick seemed to be, but it would be a two to one. That is, if Martin could stop chomping on his gum to help save me.

"Prague," I heard myself say. "The Czech Republic."

Nick let out a sigh. He shook his head. "I wonder why they gave you up." He said quietly.

"What?"

"There's Virtuoso in Prague," He said, "Aces, people like me. People like _us_."

"What are you talking about?" I said.

"Please, it doesn't make much sense now, but if you talk to my family…."

I shook my head. "I have a boyfriend in there, you know." Nick seemed to pale at that. He looked back into the videogames store.

"I'm sorry, Elsie, I really am. But we're… we're imprinted now, and you need me as much as I need you."

"You're insane." I said, trying to sidestep him.

"Look. I know it's a lot to take in. It's crazy. But maybe if you talk to… to Maggie you'll know."

"Who's Maggie?" I asked.

"My cousin's significant. They're imprinted. They're engaged now." Nick said. "She's… well, she's basically the savior for the Virtuoso. She's the Visionary."

"The Visionary." I repeated. My voice was laced with sarcasm and practically dripping with contempt.

Nick didn't seem to notice. "Please, just give me a chance."

I looked at him for a long time. I had no idea what to say to that. "Look, I'm sorry, but I don't know you, okay? I guess I'll see you around town or something."

"Elsie," He said. "I wouldn't lie to you. I would never lie to you."

I looked up at him, staring at him right in the eyes. And it was scary, but I sort of believed him. Paul had never looked at me with such clarity, the way Nick did. Not even my brothers or Hanna looked at me the way he did.

And I sort of found myself believing him. He was so openly honest, so it seemed. And he saw my half star. He was the only person I'd ever met who'd been able to see my half star. And even if I did think he was sort of creepy, he seemed to have answers to a lot of the questions I had.

"Okay," I said.

"Okay?"

"Okay. I'll meet your family. Tomorrow."

"But –" He began.

"No buts. I just told you, a perfect stranger, that I would come and meet your family tomorrow. Alright? I'm already being crazy enough. And don't think I'm not going to tell my older brothers where I'll be." I said it with my eyebrows raised, hoping that he would get the threat in that – Royce and Nolan would do anything for me. They'd do anything to protect me. "Now I'm going back inside. Give me your phone number." I said, pulling out my phone.

Nick stared at me incredulously. Then he rattled off his number. "I'll send you a text so you have my number." I said pointedly. "And just because you have it doesn't mean you're allowed to call me whenever, okay? I'll talk to you tomorrow." I said, turning on my heel.

But I couldn't move.

"What the –" I said.

Nick walked up to me. "I'll need to see you first thing in the morning. You'll get sick, without me there. Like I said, we'll need each other."

"We'll see." I said stubbornly.

Nick gave me an amused smile. "You have my number. Go on, Elsie. Go hang out with your _boyfriend_." He said. And suddenly I could move. Nick turned and left, headed towards a black car out in the parking lot, and I headed back inside.

What had just happened?

# # #

Paul didn't even notice that I'd stepped out of the videogames store with a complete stranger. I guess it kind of hurt that he hadn't even looked up at me and noticed. I mean, _Martin_ noticed that I spent a good ten minutes out front with a guy that was pretty good looking. I would've thought that even Paul would be bothered by that. At least just a little.

Nope. He didn't say anything to me as I reached the front counter. He'd laid a game on the counter and was scrabbling for his wallet. He had to dig for a second before coming up with some money, but he was it out for himself.

It was kind of annoying that he found another folded twenty tucked into his pants pocket.

Martin bagged up the game and gave me a long look as he waited for the receipt to print. I held back the urge to slap him. All I did with Nick was talk to him. It wasn't like I'd gone out there to make out with him.

Paul led me out to his car. He opened his door and got in, starting the car before I was even to the passenger door. I fumbled with my bag, having to hold it by the bottom since the straps had broken. He didn't even notice that, either, as I scrambled into the shotgun seat. I sat down in a huff and closed my door a little too hard. Paul didn't say anything, he just gave me a confused look as he put the car in reverse.

"You want to go to dinner or something?" Paul asked.

Finally. That was all that I wanted all night. "Sure." I said, trying not to sound overly excited on it. I didn't want to hurt his feelings by acting like the videogame place was the worst thing ever on a birthday, even though it was.

"How about that steak place you like so much?" He asked.

I didn't know how he was going to afford it, since he just spent sixty bucks on a game, and he'd been searching for the last twenty bucks.

"Isn't that kind of expensive?" I asked, trying to find a nice way to say that he didn't have enough money. I wasn't exactly into that whole "eat and run" thing, were the cheapos would try to run out of the restaurant before they had to pay their bill.

"Dad gave me his credit card for tonight." He said, flashing a smile my way.

I gave him a smile back, trying to ignore the feelings that Nick had implanted in me. He'd said that the two of us were soul mates, and that we absolutely needed each other. I looked at Paul again. Where would that leave him?

As we drove towards the steak house, I tried not to think of blue-green eyes, a strong build, and shaggy dark hair that I wanted to run my fingers through. Really.

Paul pulled up in front of the restaurant, and I let out a breath that I hadn't been aware that I was holding. He flashed me a smile and waited at the front of the car for me to crawl out of the seat. As I was stepping out, I felt a sharp pang in my stomach. I took in a breath and continued to get out.

We ended up in a booth seat. Paul sat across from me. I watched him carefully lay his silverware out on the napkin. He slowly sipped his drink from the glass instead of the straw, which was something that I found extremely annoying, for some reason. He made a slight slurping noise with every drink.

I leaned back against the booth seat and closed my eyes for just a minute. My shoulders and neck were starting to hurt. It was nothing big, more like when I slept funny on my neck and tried to turn my head later on during the day. It was almost a nice sort of pain. I blinked and took a deep breath.

Paul only talked about the new videogame he bought, and how awesome it was supposed to be. He talked about the semantics of the game, which made absolutely no sense to me, the entire time until our food came. He'd ordered a burger at a steak place. It's not that big of a deal, really, since a burger kind of counts in a way. Still, it made me feel bad for ordering the more expensive steak that I absolutely loved.

I picked at the steak for a good twenty minutes, the pain in my neck slowly getting worse. As I ate, I started to feel a little sicker with each bite. It really wasn't the kind of sick you get from eating bad food. It wasn't even the kind of sick that you felt with a cold. It was just a constant annoyance, the feeling that I was coming down with something serious.

"Are you feeling okay?" Paul asked.

"I'm just tired," I lied. I stabbed the last bit of my steak and shoved it into my mouth. I scooped the last bit of potatoes off of the plate and leaned back in the booth. Maybe that was what was wrong with me. I was tired.

The waitress came by with the bill, and Paul slipped his father's credit card out his wallet. He slid the card into the plastic sheath and stood the bill up on the edge of the table. In one quick sweep, the waitress came back around to pick up the bill, and within minutes, she was back for him to sign the receipt.

As we stood up, Paul threw an arm over my shoulder. Together, we walked to the front door. The hostess propped it open for us to walk through. "So, do you want to do something else?"

"Like what?" I asked as we took the stairs. It was sort of hard to walk down the stairs with the weight of his arm over my shoulders. I kept thinking that I was going to fall over any moment.

"I don't know. We could go to my place and play videogames. Or we could go walk around the park. There's the movies, too." He said, giving me a grin.

I felt a pang in my stomach, accompanied by a pounding in my skull. I hoped I wasn't starting to get sick. I blinked, silent for a second. I reached up and tried to rub my eyes without smearing my makeup. "Paul, I'm sorry, but I just don't feel really good right now." I said.

He practically jumped away from him, as if I just told him that I had a highly contagious, deathly disease. "Are you sick?"

"I hope not," I said with a sigh. "But can you just take me home, for tonight?"

"Yeah, sure." He said.

# # #

The drive over to my house seemed like it lasted forever. I got out of the car, holding my bag up to my chest. Paul walked over to my side of the car, reaching out for my hand. It looked like he might've forgotten that I wasn't feeling good, since he led me right up to my doorstep. Royce and Nolan were probably in there, waiting for me to get back. Those two were worse than an overprotective dad. I was sure that the two of them had scared Paul enough that he would never think about double-crossing them.

We reached the doorway. I started for the doorknob, but Paul reached out and grabbed my wrist. I looked down at his hand on my arm. I could barely see the edge of my half-star underneath his hand. It reminded me that, in my entire eighteen years, Nick was the only one who had ever seen it.

"Happy birthday," Paul said quietly. He leaned towards me, and I realized that he was leaning in for a kiss. It was sort of a surprise. Paul really wasn't the gooey type of boyfriend. I couldn't even remember the last time we'd kissed as I stood there, staring up at him. Paul closed his eyes as he leaned a little closer.

Right before his lips touched mine, he stopped and opened his eyes. "You're not sick, right?"

"No," I answered. Our lips almost touched just from us talking.

Paul gave me a crooked smile and closed his eyes, leaning into me as he kissed me. I closed my eyes just as our lips touched.

But that's when the burning started. Sharp, painful burning that practically ripped through me. My heart rate shot through the roof as I got the instant feeling that this was _wrong_. I didn't know why. Paul was my boyfriend. It was supposed to be alright for me to kiss him. I forced myself to kiss him back, even though it hurt all over, like I literally had fire burning through my veins.

Paul pulled away, and I tried to hide the tear that I felt was trying to slide down my cheek. "Goodnight," I whispered, and before he could say anything else to me, I pushed open the door.

Royce was sitting in the armchair that was in the living room directly off to my right. Instead of being turned to face the TV, he had twisted it to where it faced the front door. He was holding a glass of water in his hand, and from the still-wet ring spots all over the table, it was clear that he'd been waiting there for a while.

"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to wipe away the one tear discreetly. I ran my finger under my eye, like I was trying to collect the excess makeup there. I looked at my finger and scrubbed away the tear and whatever makeup that had come off with it.

"Just waiting." He said, standing up. Out of the two of my brothers, Royce was the most serious. He was also the biggest of the two. He liked to go to the gym, and went more often than not. Royce had his head an inch from being shaved and his clear green eyes looked at me. "How was your date?"

"Fine," I said. "I'm really tired. I'm not exactly feeling the best right now." I said.

Nolan poked his head out from the kitchen. "You eat something bad?"

"I hope not." I said. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I think I'm just going to watch a movie. You guys want to watch with me?"

"What it is?" Nolan asked. I could see the fire his hazel eyes all the way across the room. His dark hair was longer than Royce's, and while Royce looked older beyond his years, Nolan was looked like the partying type of college student. Which was basically what he was.

"I don't know yet."

"I'll pop popcorn." He said, disappearing back into the kitchen.

Royce stayed silent, and then he watched me from where he sat in his chair. "You know, that's really kind of creepy." I said, turning to hang my lightweight coat onto the hook by the door.

I heard Royce stand up. He reached out for a hug, and I easily hugged him back. "I know mom and dad would be proud of you." He said in a whisper. I felt more tears coming as I hugged Royce back. Hard. Our parents had died when I was fifteen. Nolan had been in his last year of high school, and Royce had been a fresh college graduate. I knew it wasn't exactly what he wanted right out of college, but he never complained about taking in his younger brother and sister.

I didn't answer Royce as he pulled back and gave me a smile. His eyes looked shiny. He wasn't the type to cry, which really meant that there was something going on with him. I figured it had to do with our parents, and didn't go to clarify because Nolan walked back in with a bowl of buttered and salted popcorn.

Nolan chose the movie, some action-adventure that was his favorite movie. I tried to keep my eyes open, but I ended up falling asleep.

And I'm pretty sure that I dreamed of Nick the entire night.

**Second chapter down, and hopefully you guys enjoyed it. :D Leave me a review to let you know what you guys think!**

**Peace out (:**


	3. Chapter 3

**And here is chapter three! (:**

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – Thank you! I love Nick, too (: who wouldn't want a hot Jacobson guy to be their soul mate? And I liked the idea of bringing in different Ace families outside of the Jacobsons and the Watsons (enter Elsie).**

**NOTE: This story is at the end of Accordance, minus the last chapter when they're in London (in my little story here, they don't plan to go to London for a lot longer.)**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I couldn't breathe when I woke up. I jerked away from whatever was covering my face, my whole body protesting at the movement. It felt like I'd melted into the couch where I'd fallen asleep, face pressed against the back of the seat. It had been what was smothering me when I woke up, but it didn't explain why I felt like bending over the side of the couch and vomiting all over the floor. I had a painful crick in my neck, my muscles seemed to spasm whenever I tried to move, and my heart thudded in my chest at the thought of becoming sick. I had an intense fear of doctors, and any type of illness, no matter how small, sent me into a flurry of worry that I was going to have to go to the doctor's office.

I rolled over, my body screaming in pain. I flexed my fingers. Even the tiny bones there ached like they'd been slammed in a few doors. After a moment of just lying on the couch, I forced myself to sit up. My head hurt, like someone was pounding it with a hammer. I had a wave of dizziness as I held my head in my hands for a moment, taking a deep breath. The longer I sat there, the more my bones ached, but the more I was able to handle it. After giving myself a pep talk, I stood up shakily and practically lunged into the kitchen. I took a glass from the cupboard and put it under the faucet. The water cooled my throat, but it did nothing to erase the flu-like symptoms that raged through me. I just needed to go lay down, I needed to sleep it off. Paul would probably be annoyed that I had gotten sick, since I'd told him that I was fine last night. He'd probably be panicking, thinking that I'd just given him some awful disease. I wrinkled my nose as I swiped my cell phone off the table in the hall as I made my way to my bedroom.

I glanced at the clock as I closed my bedroom door softly behind me. It was still early. Royce would probably be up soon, starting his day with a protein shake and a trip to the gym. Nolan would sleep in until noon, when he'd come into the kitchen and dig through the drawers, making himself a huge lunch before planting himself in front of the TV. Nolan should've been in his third year of college, but he was a mechanics kind of guy, and instead had donated his college fund into helping pay the bills for the three of us while he attended a certification program that would allow him to be a mechanic. Unfortunately, it meant that Nolan often had days off, and when he was working at the auto body shop in town, he came home smelling like grease and car oil.

I chugged half of the glass of water and pulled back the covers on my bed. I flopped down, pulling the heavy sheets over my head, still clutching my cell phone in my fist. In a minute, I would work up the energy to text Paul and tell him that I'd come down with something, and that I would be down for the count for a little while. He'd probably be annoyed for a split second before realizing that without me pestering him, he'd have more time to play his videogames and chat with whoever talked to him over the geeky headset he wore. I closed my eyes, breathing through my mouth though it hurt my throat. Of course, I would get stuck with the flu. I had to squeeze my eyes shut to tell myself that it wasn't something worse. I'm a total hypochondriac – everything leads to something worse in my head. I had a feeling that was where my uncertainty with doctors came from.

I was still trying to work up the motivation to text Paul when my phone vibrated, signaling an incoming text. For some reason, it was easier to open up the message than it was to create a new one. I stared blankly at the screen for a moment. I had been expecting Paul, complaining that I'd gotten him sick. I was even on the verge of expecting Naomi, the only person who could come close to being my best friend. But of course it wasn't someone that I knew and completely trusted. Instead, it was the one person who I'd given my number because of the feelings that had been rushing through me, even when I just looked at him.

YOU NEED ME. BE THERE IN TEN.

I didn't reply. Just minutes after I met the guy, he was spouting out insanities, saying that we were somehow supposed to be together, that we were meant to be with each other, and that I _needed_ him. I wanted to tell him that I didn't _need_ anybody. I was an independent woman. I was the one that kept this house clean. I was the one who kept my older brothers fed. I didn't _need_ anybody hanging around, thinking that they could help me. I could do things _by myself_. And then there was that whole bit where he demanded that I'd meet his family, pestering me with personal questions that not many people knew the answers to.

I closed my eyes, hoping that I could sleep off the feelings of sickness that plagued me. I couldn't help but think that I should've raided the medicine drawer while I was in the kitchen. It was too late now, because I wasn't about to stand up and go get anything. I would just sleep through it. I was certainly tired enough.

Right when I set my phone off to the side, Royce knocked on my door. When I didn't answer, he opened it slowly and peered inside. "Hey," He said lightly. "I'm going to the gym." He paused, looking at me for a long moment. "Are you okay?"

"I just feel sick. I'll be fine." I said back. Royce seemed on the edge, and I said, "Go." He nodded, said a quick goodbye to me, and closed the door behind him. I heard the front door as he stepped out, followed by the sound of his little car revving up. After a few moments, the house was silent. I sighed tiredly, turning over in my bed.

It seemed like only a minute or two had passed before there was a heavy knocking on the front door. It couldn't be Royce, because he would just let himself in without trying to get me or Nolan up. He had a key to the house, after all. And Nolan was still snoring in his room, unaware of the fact that the world was already up and moving around him. My mind returned to the somewhat cryptic text message Nick had sent me. I hadn't told him where I lived. I wasn't even sure I intended to go meet his family just because he'd asked me to. Still, the thought of him – curly brown hair and bluish green eyes – was enough for me to get up out of bed, dragging my comforter with me. The huge, down-stuffed blanket drug on the floor behind me, but I couldn't care. I reached the heavy front door and carefully undid the locks. I was preparing myself to scream at the top of my lungs if it was some creeper, prepared to slam the door in the face of a door-to-door salesmen or even little girl scouts trying to sell me cookies.

A tall, broad body stood on the doorstep. I hadn't even registered who it was when he reached out and took my face in his hands. Immediately, the feeling of being sick washed away from me, leaving only the slight fatigue behind. But I felt better. Whole. It was like my whole stint this morning wasn't even real, like it was only a dream or mirage. I heard him sigh, and was surprised to find myself sigh, too. It was just a feeling of calm that spread over me, making my toes and the tips of my fingers tingle as if I'd been touched by an electric wire. I blinked tiredly, and then I realized who was standing in front of me – the guy that I'd just met the night before, the one who had stepped up to the plate as a level five creeper. I stepped away from his grasp, instantly annoyed that he'd had the gall to touch me, though I liked it well enough. It was the _principle_ that mattered.

"How did you know where I lived?" I demanded, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I was aware of the fact that I was wearing one of my brother's old shirts. I couldn't even remember which brother it had belonged to, but I was a hardcore believer in loose clothing for sleeping, and their old throwaways (washed with extra soap) were perfect for the job. Underneath the shirt, there was the barest hint of the striped shorts I was wearing underneath. Nick's eyes trailed from my feet to my head, settling on my eyes. It was nice that his gaze hadn't rested on a different part of me, one that would've made me reach out and slap him across the face. Nick gave me a sweet, small smile. I held back the urge to melt into his arms. What the heck was happening to me? I _never_ did girly-girl romance stuff like this. I was the down-to-earth one, the stubborn one who couldn't be told what to do.

"I followed your heartbeat." Nick answered. It was such an easy answer, quick and to the point. It had to mean that it was honest. Or he had been aware of the fact that I would ask him the question (which was a give-in) and he'd rehearsed an answer for me. It sounded very sappy coming from him, especially after the whole deal with soul mates yesterday. Yet a small part of me, buried deep in the back of my head and connected by a thin wire to a tiny spot in the very pit of my heart, was the hope that he was being completely honest. Weird, but true.

I forced myself to frown at him. "Seriously. Did you look in the phonebook or something?"

"It didn't cross my mind, but that would've been a good way to find you." He shrugged. "I felt you last night. You were stressed out. Something was hurting you. So I dropped everything and ran across town to find you. You were sitting on the couch with your brothers, watching a movie. I had to tell myself you were okay, at least until morning, though I wanted to knock on the door and touch you right then." He looked down the hall for a second, over my shoulder, before his eyes returned to mine. "I hope your withdrawals weren't too bad? They felt worse than mine."

"You are _crazy_." I replied, hand gripping the door. Nick saw what I was doing and shoved his sneakered foot in the way. I could still close the door, though, if I slammed it closed hard enough to shatter his foot. It was seriously starting to appeal to me, too, though that tiny place whispered that I shouldn't ever do that to him. The words _soul mate_ echoed through my mind. It was scary, but my heart completely accepted the words. It _wanted_ the words. It was especially weird, because I never would've thought that a part of my body would betray me like that.

"You know it's true." Nick shook his head. "The point is, I was determined to get here early so you wouldn't have to suffer. Aces feel like they're sick, like they've got the flu, if they haven't been around their significant in a while. Especially new significants." He said. "I've heard it's worse for humans, though, so that's another lucky thing that we have."

"Do you have some type of mental illness?" I asked blatantly. "Or did you just forget to take your meds this morning?"

"No illnesses, no meds," Nick replied. He reached out and took my wrist. His fingers were tight on my skin, but the annoyance was wiped away by the feeling of his fingers on my skin. _Curse you, body_, I thought, finding that I couldn't force myself to pull away from him. Not when I wanted him to touch me so badly. He turned my wrist over, smoothing his thumb over the half star tattooed there. "You want to know what this means, don't you?" He asked. I nodded, biting down on my lip. "It means you're Virtuoso," He said, "Like me."

I was about to open my mouth to argue with him when he turned his wrist over, holding it against mine. He had a tattoo just like me. A half circle, empty and open. "Virtuoso families are called clans. Each clan has their own sign. It's like a crest, if you think about it. I'm from the Jacobson family. You're from a different family, so your mark is something different." His eyes, trained on our wrists lying side-by-side, met mine. "I know it's confusing. It's a lot to take in. I've heard the stories from humans like Gran and Maggie. It's just a complete information dump, but it's stuff you need to know. Please, get dressed and come with me. My family can help you more than just I can with stuff like this." He said.

And, despite my better judgment, I nodded. I opened the door a little wider for him to step inside, aware of the fact that I hardly knew this boy as I ordered him to sit down. It wasn't even eight yet, so I had a few hours before Nolan woke up. I just hoped that I could shower and get out of here before Royce got back and wanted an explanation as to why I was feeling so much better and why there was a strange boy in the living room. I think I would've taken the former over the latter any day.

# # #

I stood in front of a huge house. I was made of tan adobe, with square windows and a tall iron fencing that had a half-circle that reminded me of the tattoo Nick had on his wrist. Nick had punched in the numbers to a keypad and we'd sat there in his car while they slowly swung open. I felt like I was doing a bunch of stupid, out-of-character things today. First, it was letting Nick into the house. Then I agreed to go meet his family, though I'd known the guy for less than twenty-four hours. I'd stressed about what to wear, which I never did. I'd then proceeded to climb into the relative stranger's car and ride to his house on the other, _rich_ side of town.

And that led to where I was, standing in front of the house, looking down at the comfortable jeans I'd eventually settled on, along with my dark blue tank top, black flats, and black cardigan-like sweater that didn't button in the front. I'd thought I'd looked cute when I stood in front of the floor-length mirror in my room, but now, standing in front of a house that was worth three times my own, I felt underdressed, like I'd shown up to prom wearing a T-shirt and cutoffs. Nick reached out and touched me. Every time he did that, I loved it. But, every time he did that, I wished that I could shrink away from him. It was scary, how I completely forgot about Paul, my boyfriend, the guy that I'd never texted because I'd been too wrapped up in someone else. What was worse, though, was the lack of guilt. I knew that Paul wouldn't like the fact that I was meeting another guy's family, like it was the two of us that were in a relationship and not me and Paul. Instead of feeling like I was doing something wrong, the way I did when Paul kissed me the night before, I completely forgot about him. It was like he didn't exist when Nick was around.

Nick gave me a smile that looked a little sad. I didn't know if I had anything to do with the slight frown on the edges of his perfectly sculpted lips. I had a feeling that it did, at least a little bit. Maybe I wasn't acting the way that he wanted me to. Maybe I wasn't acting like I wanted him around the way he acted like he wanted me at his side. Maybe Nick was just confused, and this was all a sham, and that his spouts about us being meant for each other was a complete lie.

He looked up at me, our eyes meeting together and holding in front of us. He glanced over my shoulder towards the window that was there, his eyes narrowing for a second before returning to my gaze. It was like I'd taken a swim in his eyes, and they'd pulled me down to drown within them. They were gorgeous, to say the least, and I was hopelessly entangled.

God, I wanted to smack myself straight.

Nick gave me a smile. "Calm down. They're really nice people, and they're excited to meet you. Just pretend that you like me, even just a little bit." His smile was still sad. I felt a weird pang in my chest at the sight of him being upset. On its own accord, my hand reached out, fingers brushing against his. Nick gave me a smile, standing so close that his face was only inches from my own. I suddenly got a flash of me standing up on my toes, pressing my lips to his like it was something that we did every day. I reigned in the feelings, trying to blink them away. Nick sighed, leaning back a little bit, which didn't explain the pang that went through my stomach.

Nick reached out for the door, his fingers moving away from mine. "Are you ready to meet the family?"

I decided right then that it didn't matter how nervous it made me, or how weird it was. I was going to meet his family, and there was no way to get out of it. Royce had always chastised me for letting my stubborn attitude get in the way of socializing. I was the queen of sarcastic stubbornness, and he had always told me that I needed to "man-up and act proper, for once." So I decided that I was going to. "Nope. Let's go."

Nick gave a chuckle, one that shook through my body, making me smile in return as he leaned against the knob. With a loud click, the door slowly opened.

**Is that enough of a cliffhanger for you readers (however few you may be?) I know that it's fairly short, but it's late, and I'll probably be updating tomorrow or the next day (yes, how kind of me! :P) I hope you liked this chapter, and even if you didn't like this chapter or the story, I would really appreciate if you left me a review.**

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**Go ahead, click on it!**

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	4. Chapter 4

**So, yeah, I said I was going to update, but as we all know, life gets in the way. Anyway, here's the update that I meant to make a week ago. Sorry for the wait.**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

My heart was thumping hard at the thought of meeting his family. I must be insane. This had to be a dream, one big, giant _joke_. But there was no way that I could deny what had already happened to me, the calmness that washed over me every time we touched, and the pain that dissipated into air the moment he put his hands to my face. You couldn't fake that kind of stuff. That was something that I'd _felt_. Not to mention the weirdness in the way that he seemed to know what I was feeling, especially when I was panicking. That he knew where my house was. Rationally, I told myself it was because he'd looked into the phone book and happened upon my doorstep. But deep down inside, I had the feeling that he'd just _known_, the way he said he did.

Nick threw a glance over his shoulder as he stepped into the doorway of the house. His fingers were still gently wrapped around mine, barely holding my hand, but still there. I liked the comfort of them, the way they automatically calmed me down. It made me slightly nervous, though, too. I shouldn't have those emotions with someone that I'd just met not even a full day earlier. I shouldn't be stepping into his house, about to meet his family. I should be calling Paul or Hanna, planning a trip to the movies or the mall. Nick really was a big guy in the shoulders and in height, because I couldn't see around him, though I did hear the noises of a family. A _big_ family, by the sound of it. My heart was having palpitations, for God's sake. What had I gotten myself into?

Nick gave me a smile, one that warmed me all the way through, his hand tightening on mine. He didn't say anything, but the look of pure happiness on his face was enough of me to let out a deep, shaky sigh. He was so glad to have me standing there that I was speechless. What had I done to make him like me so much? What is it that he saw in me? What was the basis for this… _imprint_? Was it real? Did it explain why I felt the way I did?

"The answer is yes to your last two questions." I nearly jumped out of my skin, turning to look at the short girl standing at the door. She was leaning up against the door frame, her fingers laced with a boy's. He was tall, like Nick, though Nick was taller, and he was pretty handsome, with his shaggy hair and his worn band T-shirt. The short girl gave me a look, like a warning. "At least, I can tell you that yes, it's real, and it's only partly to explain about how you feel. And to your other questions, it's your soul. One soul sees the other and chooses it. It works both ways. The way you feel is the way Nick feels, but times two." I must've looked like a fish out of water, my mouth hanging open. The girl smiled at me, holding out her free hand to me. "I'm Maggie. It's nice to meet you, Elsie."

"Alright," I sighed, looking at her extended hand. I slowly reached out and took it. She had a gentle hold, like she was somewhat shy but powerful. "You've officially convinced me that I've boarded the freaky train."

She laughed as our hands dropped, and the guy behind her said, "Hey!" indignantly. She patted him on the chest, glancing up to look at him. Their eyes seemed glassy as they looked at each other. It was more obvious to me than it had ever been before that they were in love. And it seemed like they were easily talking to each other without saying a single word. She gave another short laugh, and Nick's fingers tightened on my own. I'd forgotten that he was holding my hand. I took a deep breath as I watched the two of them, amazed by the intense want of something like that that rushed through me.

"Sorry," Maggie said, turning her gaze back to mine. "This is my fiancé, Caleb." I stared at her blankly. She looked like she was my age – barely eighteen. "I am, actually." She said conversationally. "You'll see, though. You'll have something like me and Caleb." She added.

"Okay, well, can you stop with the reading minds thing? It's kind of freaking me out." I said. She nodded, giving me a slightly apologetic smile. I could see a tattoo on her neck under the wave of her hair. There was also one on her wrist, but it had Caleb's name running on the outside. Other than that, it had the same half-circle that Nick had.

That's when I noticed all the people that were standing behind Nick. I'd never seen so many people who were obviously related gathered in a single place. They were all quiet, though, their voices silenced when Maggie had begun to speak. I had the feeling that she was important to them. I had no idea why – she seemed like a normal type of girl, nice enough and certainly pretty. But it wasn't really my place to start asking.

There was a moment of pure silence before someone bustled up to me. "Well, look at you, pretty-girl," an older woman said. She seemed like the kind of woman that would get right in your face whenever she felt like it. It sort of reminded her of me, in the way of that I was a little… well, everywhere. At least that's what Hanna said. She said that I was stubborn and determined, which was both good and incredibly annoying. Her prime example: the way I refused to break up with Paul over the fact that he had _flaws_. That was my thing, something that my mom had drilled into me – don't turn down a person because of their flaws. Hanna said that I was using that excuse because I would feel bad about breaking up with him. Whatever.

"I'm Gran." She said. "And that means you can call me Gran." She gave me a wink and nodded to Nick. "You did a good job," She added, as if Nick had chosen me out of the store of girls. I bristled at the thought, and Caleb laughed. He was still standing behind me with Maggie. I turned to glare at him, and he gave me a light smile in return. Nick tugged on my arm. I was introduced to a flurry of people – Caleb's father and the clan's champion, Peter, and his wife, Rachel; his cousin Kyle and his significant, Lynne; his cousin, Jen and her daughter, Maria. Finally, he introduced me to his parents. By that time, I'd met so many people that I couldn't even remember their names, though they were bound to be more important. And lastly, I met his brother, Rodney. Rodney was older than Nick by a couple of years, about twenty-two or twenty-three.

"Elsie, honey, do you have any questions?" Rachel asked. She was impeccably dressed, wearing a silk shirt and black dress pants. She and her husband were the only ones that really seemed to take looking nice to heart, with the nice shirts, pants, and shoes. The whole nine yards.

"I just… what are you?" I blurted out.

Everyone stayed silent for a moment. It was so quiet that I was sure you could hear a pin drop across the room. Gran was the one who answered. I honestly wasn't that surprised to hear her speak first. "Virtuoso. Aces. We're humans with special powers and significants, that's about it." She said. She leaned forward as I sat down on a chair heavily. _I_ was the rational one. _I_ was supposed to be the down-to-earth one who took things in stride. I wasn't supposed to get all worked up about this. But here I was, panicking. Gran sat down next to me. "Elsie, you're exactly who you were… you've just found your soul mate. You two are made for each other, meant to be together, he calms you and you calm him. After you ascend, you get powers that will complement each other's. After you ascend, he can heal you and you can heal him. You _need_ him."

"Gran!" Nick said, like he thought it was too forward.

"That's exactly what I told Maggie and look how well she turned out!" The older woman replied back. She turned back to face me. "You felt those pains, didn't you? This morning? You felt like you were sick?" She asked.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I thought I had the flu and I thought my boyfriend –" I cut off. In just an hour or two, I'd completely believed that everything Nick had told me about the soul mate thing. I'd seen it for myself. I didn't think this many people were so dense that they couldn't see they were getting played. Of course, that didn't mean that _I_ wasn't getting played.

Maggie came over to sit in the chair in front of me. "You're not getting played. This isn't a big elaborate lie." She said. She looked at me directly in the eyes. I stared back at her like she was an anchored ship in the middle of a storm. "Did you see the images the moment you touched?" She asked. I gave a slight nod, the images coming to mind. She stared at me like she was seeing something that wasn't really there. Then she sighed. "You'll be happy, Elsie. You know, Nick had visions just like you." She paused as she read the next question in my mind. "No, they're different than yours. And they're… well, they're kind of a secret. Not even your significant knows your imprint visions." She watched me silently for a moment. "You and Nick are meant to be together. This guy you're seeing… you'll realize that you don't love him. You don't care for him. The love for your significant overrides any other emotion of love you've felt for someone else. I've seen it."

I swallowed hard. She put a hand on my arm, but my heart was thrumming in my chest so hard that I thought I was about to keel over. She turned and looked over her shoulder. "Nick!" She called. His father had basically cornered him in the room, and they were talking, their voices low and quick. Nick had his hand on his chest, like it was hurting him, and his head snapped up when he heard his name. He ducked away from his father and came to my side. He shuffled a little to the side, stepping in front of Maggie. His knees popped when he lowered himself to my level. His hands touched my face, fingers sliding into my hair. I let out a sigh without realizing it, and the rest of his family sighed around him. To them, I was special.

_What about Paul_? I pulled back a little from him, and shook my head. I could feel the tears prickling at the back of my eyes. What was I going to do about Paul? If this was all true, then I was supposed to fall hopelessly in love with Nick. I bristled at the thought of being told what to do. That was something that Royce always said about me – I hated authority. It was true. Royce only got away with it because he usually _requested_ that I do something instead of _telling_ me that I had to do something. And I usually did it out of the kindness of my heart. Royce was my eldest brother. He'd dropped everything to take care of me and Nolan when our parents died. I might as well have made it easy for him.

But I wasn't going to do whatever they told me what they wanted me to. I was going to befriend Nick, but I wasn't going to fall in love with him just because they wanted me to. I'm my own person, and I'm not going to let this imprinting thing decide what I was going to do with my life.

I bit back the still-present tears, biting down hard on my bottom lip. So hard that I was going to make it bleed. Maggie gave me a sad look over Nick's shoulder. She'd read my mind. She knew exactly what I'd just decided in my head. But it looked like she wasn't going to tell anyone. She was going to keep my decision to herself. I had a feeling that she thought I wasn't going to be able to do it. I wouldn't be able to stay away from him.

I didn't plan to. That might've seemed like a tease, but I needed Nick to keep me from feeling sick. I just wasn't going to force myself to fall in love with him. I wasn't going to turn my back on Paul because they said I would. If those things happened, they would happen because I wanted them to, or on their own accord. I wouldn't give in.

I stood up quickly. I shouldn't have come here. Maggie reached out and caught my arm. "You're part of the family now, whether you like it or not. And you've got a friend in me. You can talk to me anytime you need. I won't be biased. I won't try to tell you what to do or how to do it. I understand what you're going through. I had no idea that Aces existed. I was just a regular human with a crappy life." She looked at me seriously. "Your decisions are no longer just yours. I know that better than anyone here." She said. I started to pull away from her, but she held tight. "I mean it, Elsie Gray. You are not just some girl. You're important. You are _everything_ to Nick. And I'm serious about calling me whenever you need someone to talk to. You can't tell your brothers about the Aces. You can't tell your friend, and you can't tell your boyfriend." It seemed like the entire family tensed up at the word _boyfriend_. "But you can talk to me. Here's my number." Caleb handed her a scrap of paper, which she handed to me. "I mean it. Call me."

# # #

Since I'd darted away before lunch was ready, Nick insisted on taking me to lunch. He chose out a little Mexican food place that I'd loved. I didn't know if he just knew it, or if he liked this place, too. We sat down, and he looked at me from across the table. I remembered my dinner with Paul, how I was uncomfortable the whole time. Then there was that moment when I'd kissed him, and it had burned with wrongdoing. I figured that it would be right to tell Nick exactly what I'd decided. It wouldn't be fair to him.

"Nick," I said quietly, and he leaned forward. "I don't…." This was harder than I thought. "I don't want to just drop everything for this." I said. Nick looked at me blankly. "What I mean is that I'm not just breaking up with Paul because you and your family think that I need to do that. I don't like being told what to do. I don't just follow pointless directions," I said, the hard edge returning to my voice. Royce said that it was my serious voice. Nolan said it was my "I'm-not-taking-any-crap" voice. I guess they were pretty much the same thing, just differently said. "I will not just fall in love with you because of this imprint, Nick."

"I didn't want you to. Didn't you feel the pull before we even touched?" I gave a slight nod. I _had_ been hopelessly interested in him before he reached out to pick up my journal at the very moment that I did. "Two people don't just randomly imprint. These imprints are… rare. Caleb and Maggie were the first in twenty-something years. And most Aces don't even imprint until they're in their early twenties. At first everyone thought that it was just a fluke, but then they found out that Maggie's the Visionary. That means she's special. Other Aces practically see her as a queen." He said. "And then Kyle imprinted with Lynne. And now I've imprinted with you. They're coming back, Elsie. It's not a fluke. This _means_ something. And all the other clans are mad because it's only happening to the Jacobsons."

"Look, I realize that this is important and everything, but I… I can't just turn my back on people because of what other people tell me to do. I do things for myself. I don't need anyone to take care of me. I'm not helpless." I gave him a hard look. "If I decide to break up with Paul and get together with you, it will because _I_ decide."

Nick sat back in his chair. "Okay then. But we need to be around each other. The longer we're apart, the more pain we'll feel. And since we've imprinted, if any other Ace touches you with ill-meaning, you'll get an offensive mark. It's black and burns into your skin. Your skin shocks them, because you… belong to me." I could tell that he didn't want to say those last few words because I would probably be annoyed with them. He was right. "You have to understand, Elise, that Aces are old-fashioned. The men are the bread-winners and we take care of our family. We all go into the business together, working for an architect company. My sole duty is to protect you, and if that means that I have to just be your friend then… well, I'll do it." He leaned forward and shut up as someone brought our food to us. I waited until he started eating. He swallowed a part of his taco as I scooped up guacamole with my nacho. "_You_ set the boundaries, Elsie. It looks like I'm just along for the ride."

# # #

Nick didn't let me pay for my half. Apparently, the kid and his family were loaded. It didn't really surprise me, since the house was huge and he didn't dress like he shopped at the neighborhood bulk store, like I did. Don't get me wrong, they're clothes are good, but his clothes were name-brand and expensive. I bit down on my lip as he stuffed a credit card into the black bill case.

After our initial talk, things kind of lightened a little. The tension was still there, but it wasn't so thick. Nick seemed to accept that I wasn't going to dump Paul just because his family wanted me to, and he respected my decisions. I could see myself falling in love with him. I wanted to smack my hand to my forehead at the thought, but it was true. It wouldn't be hard to choose Nick over Paul. Paul had his flaws and Nick was… flawless, so far. But my mom's words echoed in my head – _"Never look away from someone because they have flaws. No one is perfect. We are meant to love despite their flaws."_

Nick and I were getting back into car when my phone buzzed. I dug it out of my pocket and clicked in the password, opening Hanna's text message. WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? I sighed and looked at the screen for a long time. What was I supposed to tell her? That I'd met some guy who had told me that I wasn't even human, but Virtuoso? That he was my soul mate, and I still didn't want to dump Paul just because of that?

God, I still felt clueless most of the time. I didn't type her back, knowing that I would probably get a hysteric message in about twenty minutes, but I couldn't think of anything to tell her right then. Hanna wouldn't settle for something easy. She'd want the details of the whole night, and despite the fact that it had been my birthday and Paul had been the one who'd taken me out – albeit late – that my night consisted mostly of thinking about a guy that I'd barely met, I wasn't willing to tell her that. She was a romantic. She would think that it was destiny, and that meant that I needed to dump Paul right then and run to Nick.

So no, I wasn't going to tell her.

Nick watched me as he backed out of the parking space, which I thought was really unsafe. We managed to make it out without dying, though, which was a plus. Nick drove me straight to my house, idling the car at the curb. Royce's beat-up car was in the driveway. It was Nolan's day off, so he was probably watching TV, too. The two of them would be mad that I hadn't told them where I was going. I hadn't even left a note. And they definitely wouldn't be too happy about me hanging out with a guy they'd never met. Royce especially, since he thought every boy in the whole world was out to get me, or something.

I turned to say goodbye to Nick, and he was leaning forward, his elbow on the leather console in between us. He peered towards the window, and that's when I saw it flick. Of course it was Nolan, getting into my business like he always did. If Royce had become the father figure, Nolan had resorted to being the _protective_ class clown.

"That's just Nolan," I said with a breath. He was so, so close. I could imagine myself closing my eyes and leaning against him. I could practically feel his lips on mine. It would've been so much more than what I had with Paul. I bit down on my lip and swallowed hard. I wasn't going to do that. You can't just fall in love at first glance. There has to be an actual relationship there. I closed my eyes for a moment, keeping my muscles tense so I wouldn't act out what I had in mind. I let a breath go. "Thanks for coming this morning. And for lunch. And I'm sorry," I added.

"Remember, you set the pace," He said. "If there's anything that Caleb has told me to do that was right for once, it was to let you set the pace." He gave me a small smile. I turned to get out of his car, but found that, while I could open the door, and undo my seatbelt, I couldn't step out. He gave a short laugh, though it sounded more pained than amused. "It's the imprint. It's like it doesn't know that I'll be back for you. It doesn't want me to leave."

"Will that go away?" I asked sharply. This was one of my fears, I realized, being tied down without deciding that I'd wanted to be tied down.

"Once we ascend, yes. But we won't ascend for a while. A couple weeks, at least." He said. He leaned forward and touched my cheek, the anxiety disappearing in a rush. He let out a breath, like I'd just cleared his anxiety, too, and said, "Go on inside. You have my number, so call me if you need me."

"Like what?"

"Like if you're starting to feel sick. Otherwise, I'll be back in the morning."

I nodded, and like magic, I could step out of the car. I climbed out and shut the door behind me, glaring at the living room window as I started up the front walkway. Nick waited until I was at the front door, opening it with my key before driving away.

I stared after him for a moment, wondering for the hundredth time what I'd gotten myself into. Finally, I pushed open the door and stepped inside, pausing to pull my key from the lock. When I turned around, Royce was standing in the hallway with his arms crossed across his chest. He looked angry. Nolan peeked around the living room corner. He didn't look too happy, either, but he didn't look like he was about to tie me down to a chair in my room, either.

"Where have you been?" He asked, his voice dangerously low.

"I was with a friend."

"So who was the dude?" Nolan asked.

Royce seemed to get a little tenser at that. I don't know what his deal was with "protecting" me from my guy friends. None of them had ever hurt me before. Royce would say that's just because he did a good job of keeping them scared and in line. I said it was because not every guy that wasn't my brother was some crazy serial killer or something. Still. "What guy?"

"Nick," I answered back, hoping that maybe they would remember a false story about some kid named Nick from high school. I'd never hung out with anyone named Nick before. I don't think I even knew a Nick before Nick Jacobson, the guy who was supposedly destined to steal my heart.

"I've never heard you talk about a Nick before." Royce said. I stifled a groan. Good Lord, why couldn't they just leave me alone for once? My phone buzzed, and I smiled to myself. Saved by Hanna, no doubt. I pulled out my phone and pretended that it was a call.

"Whoops, got to take this." I said, clicking the button to make it stop vibrating. I put the phone to my ear and pretended to have a conversation with Hanna on the other line. "Hey, Han." I said, turning my back on Royce and Nolan as I headed for my bedroom. I closed the door behind me and pulled the phone away from my ear. It wasn't a text message from Hanna, it was from Paul. He wanted to go out again tonight, to a movie. He wanted to see if Hanna wanted to double-date. It didn't make much sense, because Hanna and Paul didn't really get along. I had the feeling that it was just because Paul didn't really want to be alone with me.

I sighed, because I'd just realized that I didn't really want to be alone with Paul, either.

If it was Nick, it would've been a whole different story.

**So, what do you guys think?**

**I needed some help with Nick's parents – I don't think they were ever mentioned in the books, so I figured that his father might be the guy that could see into the future, but I couldn't remember if his wife's power had been mentioned.**

**And I bet you all recognized Nick's brother, Rodney (if you didn't, he's the one that found Maggie on the Watson compound in Book 1.)**

**Also, I think I have a power all lined up for Elsie (since she will ascend with Nick, whether or not she's dating him) but I'm not sure if I should keep it for a surprise or see what you readers think first. And then there's that whole thing with coming up with an ability to complement Elsie's for Nick. **

**Any-who. Leave me a review! Peace (: **


	5. Chapter 5

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – Thanks! I went rereading through Significance today and saw about the wife. (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I called Hanna to ask about the double-date with Paul. I was worried she would freak out on me because I hadn't called her right after my date with him in the first place. I was still clueless about what I was going to tell her. Sure, I figured I'd have to tell her about Nick because I would be hanging around with him a lot. If anything, I _needed_ him around, just like his grandmother had told me. I need to tell her about my _friendship_ with him, because he was just my friend, whose touch I needed. Of course, I couldn't tell her that last little part. But still.

I bit my lip as I hit her speed dial number and held the phone to my ear. Three rings later, I was hoping that maybe she wasn't going to answer. I prepared myself to leave her an upbeat message. Right then, though, she answered the phone. "You better have a good reason for not calling me."

"Not even a hello?" I replied swallowing the rehearsed words that I'd had prepared for her message. "I'm hurt."

"Whatever, now tell me what happened! Everything that happened!" She was so excited that I couldn't help but smile, even though it wasn't even that good of night. That was Hanna, though. Excited, personable, a hopeless romantic. That's why I loved her.

"It wasn't that great, Han," I said back. "He gave me a gift card to the videogame store."

"He _didn't_!" Hanna gasped.

"He did," I replied, adding in a pitiful sigh. "I don't think he knew what to get me," I said, sitting down on the edge of my bed. "But I think he's trying to make up for it now. He called and wanted to see if you wanted to go on a double date with us."

"_He_ called?" She asked. Hanna and Paul had never really gotten along, and I had the feeling that she sort of did that on purpose. I didn't know what it was that made Hanna not like him in the first place, but she was adamant that he was no good. She wouldn't even let herself see the real him.

"I was just as surprised as you are." I said. "And actually, now that I think about it, he texted me."

Hanna clicked her tongue. I bit down on my lip. Hanna didn't see it the way I did. She thought that I shouldn't have to settle for anyone. I wasn't _settling_ for Paul. I was _dating_ him, and not breaking up with him because Hanna wanted me to. "Listen, chickie," She said seriously. "I don't know what his motives are. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm pretty dateless right now."

"I thought you could call Brandon." I said, leaning back on my bed. Hanna had been pining after him since the beginning of the semester. Brandon was a part of our group. He had been for years, and he was definitely interested in Hanna. She was too wrapped up in her ordeal of looking for her Prince Charming to pay attention to the guys around her. It was just another one of the reasons that I didn't completely trust her on relationship device.

Hanna was silent, which was a rarity. Finally, she said, "Yeah, maybe I will. But this better not be some matchmaking trap." She said sharply, but I could hear the hint of sarcasm and humor.

I laughed. "Not intentionally. Go ahead, call him and get back to me."

"Fine! I give in. I'll call you. Love you," She said.

"Yeah, love you, too." I said back, pressing the end button and thinking that I wish I was going somewhere with Nick instead of Paul. And then I wanted to smack my forehead against the wall.

# # #

That sick feeling I had in the morning was starting to come over me again. It wasn't bad, but it was still there. At the time, it was just a little flutter in my stomach, a little ache in my lower back, like I'd been standing all day. I was surprised, though, at how badly I wanted to call Nick. It was like a physical pain to be away from him, like my skin was slowly being picked and peeled at. Or maybe it could be better described as a sunburn, hurting the more you pressed on it.

I checked the time on my cell phone. Paul was supposed to be here in five minutes, and then we would go pick up Hanna and Brandon. There wasn't enough time for me to call Nick. And, when I thought about it, I realized I awful that must be for him. I had sat there and told him that I didn't want to break up with Paul, that I didn't want to be in a relationship with him right off the bat, and now I wanted to call him so he could come touch my hand and take away my pain. I knew that I wasn't being a tease, technically, but I still felt bad about it. So I resolved that I wasn't going to call Nick at every moment I started to feel sick. I was just going to deal with it until it got really bad.

I bit down on my lip and played with the necklace I was wearing. Hanna had given it to me on my birthday – a long chain with a rhinestone frog. I had absolutely loved it the moment I laid eyes on it. Paul said that it looked creepy.

I was still lying back on my bed when the doorbell rang. I bolted up, a little slower than usual because of the head rush I got. Royce had beaten me to the door. I could hear him talking to Paul, giving him the average you-take-care-of-my-sister speech. I took his wrist in my hand, annoyed by that rush of feeling that said I was doing something wrong when I wasn't. I gave Royce a half-glare and stepped out towards Paul's car.

"Hey," I said with a smile when the door closed behind me.

"Hi," Paul replied, not even bothering to look up at me as he dug his car keys from his pocket. I bit down on my lip, waiting to see if he would say anything more to me. Paul and I used to get along really well, when we first started dating. He was really sweet, taking me the movies and to lunch dates. One time, he even packed up a picnic and we went and sat at one of the gazebos in the park. But in the months since, that sort of fun that we'd had together had faded. I was starting to worry that it was a sign that we didn't belong together. Hanna would say that I should just break up with him, but I was the type of girl to take relationships seriously. If there was a problem, I wanted to work it out. I just didn't know how to breech the subject with him.

We still hadn't said a single thing to each other when Paul pulled up in front of Hanna's house. She reached for the door and slid in. "Hey, babe," She said over my shoulder. I turned to smile at her, and she gave me a wink as Brandon slid into the car next to her. He looked like he was excited about this date, which made me happy for Hanna. No doubt, we'd spend thirty minutes after Paul and Brandon left talking about how perfect their date was.

At least someone was trying to be happy.

# # #

The movie theatre was pretty empty. The movie we'd decided to watch had been out for a few weeks, and the majority of people had already seen it. There was a cute old couple sitting in the front, which was kind of funny since Paul had voted for an action flick, which Brandon was all too happy to agree with. I settled into my seat between Paul and Hanna, trying to ignore the sharp pains. I was bound to call Nick when I got home, because this was downright awful. I kept repeating the mantra in my mind – _deal with it, Elsie_.

As the movie theatre darkened, only the lights on the steps still remaining, Paul tilted the popcorn bag to me. I didn't feel hungry. In fact, I felt like I might puke. But I was sure that it was only the flu-like symptoms from the withdrawals. I took a handful and spent the previews stuffing my mouth and telling myself to suck it up and just enjoy the movie.

Just as the previews were ending, someone was walking in late to the movie. There was a bright rectangle of light for a second as the door opened, and then the rough shadow as someone climbed up the steps. My heart immediately fluttered in my chest at the sight of the shape. My mind instinctively went to Nick.

The guy continued past my row and into the row of seats behind me. I heard the creak of the chair as someone sat down in the seat directly behind mine. My heart thumped at the idea of Nick coming here to see me. I didn't know how he knew where I was, or where exactly in the theatre I was, but I was nearly one hundred percent sure that it was Nick sitting behind me. I leaned back in my chair, my stomach squirming and my heart thumping erratically.

I tried to glance behind me. It was so dark that I couldn't really see anything but a sneakered food. I yawned and moved out of my seat, pretending to get more comfortable. I turned around for a brief second, and caught Nick's face. He looked mad. He also looked amused. He gave me a tiny smile, like he was genuinely happy to catch my eye. My heart shot off, and Nick put his fist to his chest at the same time. I raised my eyebrow at him as I sat back down, turning to face the screen.

I sort of wished that I hadn't seen him, because the withdrawals had just shot up in intensity in seeing him so close. I wanted to leap over the chair into his lap, wrap my arms around his neck, and just hold him close. I also wanted to smack myself for thinking that _in the presence of my boyfriend_. I mean, it would've been bad to think it any time, but with Paul sitting _right there_, that had to violate some sort of girlfriend code. Nick cleared his throat behind me. I sort of sounded like he was trying to cover up a laugh.

I leaned back in my chair, my hands trembling. I was starting to think that I was on the verge of a freak out. I glanced over my shoulder again, trying to get a glimpse of his dark, curling hair and a hint of his turquoise eyes. Hanna was watching me, her eyebrows drawn together.

I immediately sat back in my seat. After another ten minutes, I was still trying feverishly to focus on the movie. The guy had started running from whoever wanted to kill him, and he'd already blown up a car and jumped off an apartment balcony. Paul was completely entranced with it. Hanna kept giving me questioning looks all throughout the movie, like she thought that I might stand up and star screaming obscenities any moment. I was about to tell her to stop looking at me like that when I felt something in my head. It was like someone was poking the back of my head, but it was _inside_ my skull. I probably should've panicked, but it was like my mind just opened up to it without any direction from me.

I knew, within seconds, that it was Nick. And he was inside my head. _Literally_. I couldn't get any words from him, but I did see a picture of him standing up and walking into the lobby, of me doing the same thing. I figured that he was telling me something. Then he slipped out of my mind and was standing up, his chair creaking. I watched him walk down the stairs, watched him turn the corner. The door opened for a split second, and then it was dark in the theatre again.

I was partly panicked at what had just happened, partly excited. Clearly, I hadn't been imagining it, because he had just gotten up and done exactly what I saw he would do. And there was no denying that weird things don't exist. My life had been a mess of weird since his hand brushed mine in that videogame store.

"Are you okay?" Hanna whispered to me.

My eyes drifted to her and I stood up abruptly. "Bathroom," I said back, forcing my way past her legs. Brandon gave me a funny look, too, as I trampled down the stairs as quickly and as quietly as I could. I pushed open the door, practically running since I turned the corner and no one in the theatre could see me. I had just barely stepped out of the theatre and into the hall when an arm caught me around the waist. I let out a breath as I was stopped short, pulled around by my momentum.

Nick had been standing just outside the door. With one arm still around my waist, he pressed his palm against my cheek. We both sighed, and I instinctively leaned against him. His hold on me tightened, and I thought about how much I wanted to just stand there with him instead of going back into the movie to see Paul and Hanna. I'd rather skip out on my best friend and my boyfriend to hang out with a guy I'd literally just met yesterday. My head was swimming with the whole situation, but I couldn't find the energy to actually move away from him.

"How did you know where I was?" I asked.

Nick peered around the corner, down the hall. He looked back at me, grinning. He took my hand and pressed my open palm against his chest. I stared at the back of my hand for a moment, eyebrows drawn together. Once it became clear he wasn't going to answer me, I just let my gaze wander… to his eyes. That's when I felt his heartbeat underneath my hand. But the weird thing was, it was like his heart was beating double, and not in the oh-God-I'm-under-attack way. It was like there were… two hearts.

"What is that?" I asked, pulling my hand away sharply. "Do you have heart palpitations or something?" I demanded.

Nick laughed. I leaned against him a little more without even planning to. I really liked the sound of his laugh, the way his hands rested on my elbows, the way that when he looked down at me and I looked up at him, our faces were only inches apart. I blinked to try to push the images of me kissing him out of my mind. Nick cleared his throat and said, "No, I'm perfectly healthy. But you remember me saying that, as a guy it's my duty to protect you?" I nodded, and his smile grew wider. "Well, as a tool to help me do that, I have your heartbeat."

"_What_?" I asked, pulling away from him. I put two fingers to my neck and one palm to his chest. It suddenly made sense, the way the thumps were coming from his chest. There was his, and then there was mine. One of the beats matched perfectly with my own. I could practically feel my blood pressure spike as my heart sped up under my fingertips. One of the heartbeats in his chest sped up at the exact same time. "Oh, my God," I breathed.

"I can feel it when your heart changes. I can tell, just by listening to it, whether you're excited or scared or in pain. And when your heartbeat spikes like that, I know exactly where you are." He raised his eyebrow at me. "You were freaking out about your withdrawals. I could feel it. Why didn't you call me?"

"So… it's like you have a permanent tracker on me?" I demanded.

Nick's hands immediately cupped my face, my hair billowing out over his fingers. "Don't think of it like that. It's a protection device. I'll literally know when you're in danger the moment your body realizes it." He said. "And if you focus really hard, you can feel my heartbeat along with yours."

I closed my eyes and pressed both of my hands to his chest, which rose and fell with his breathing. I felt like this was extremely intimate, and I felt my heart flutter at the idea. There was no doubt he heard it, too. But along with that was the hint of another heart, steady, although a bit fast. _Nick_.

I took a step back from him, shaking my head. "That's impossible."

"Not really, if you think about it. All significants have it," He said. "The whole point of the imprint is that we belong together, and our bodies act accordingly. I know where you are and you can find me anytime. When we ascend, I'll be able to read your every thought, and you mine." My cheeks flushed at that. Privacy was one thing that I cherished, along with making my own decisions, being my own person. Nick cleared his throat and added, "But you can block me if you want."

I let out a pent-up breath. "What else is there?" I asked.

Nick shook his head. "First, you tell me why you didn't call me when you started to feel the withdrawals."

"I didn't want to bother you. I'm… it's like I'm being a tease, and it's not fair to you."

"Elsie," The way he said my name gave me shivers. "It's not just you that gets the withdrawals. I get them, too. And since I feel your emotions too, sometimes they're worse for me." I bit down on my lip, and he gave me a sad smile. "I don't want you to stress about it. There's no point. All I'm saying is that I won't think you're a tease if you call me because of the withdrawals. In fact, I was banking on calling you soon if I hadn't felt that spike in your heartbeat. It scared me to death."

"Why?"

"When you're in pain or you're scared, I immediately panic. It's my duty to protect you, and I _want_ to keep you safe. If I'm not around and I don't know why you're freaked out, I immediately start to expect the worst."

"I'm sorry," I said.

Nick shook his head. "Don't be sorry. I'm just letting you know so you know. Even though you're an Ace, you haven't been raised like one. I don't expect you to understand or accept everything right away."

"So… what else is there to tell me?"

"Not now. Later, I promise," Nick said, touching my cheek one last time. "You need to get back to your _boyfriend_, and since I forked over six bucks I'm going to stay and watch it, too. I'll try to brush up against you while we're leaving, to keep you from getting withdrawals for the rest of the night." The way he said boyfriend was sort of annoyed, sort of disgusted. I figured that, if what he had told me was true, he was pushing down the urge to pummel Paul for even looking at me. "Now, let's get in there. And when we do, we'll go our separate ways, and I'll see you either later tonight or early tomorrow morning."

"Got it," I said back. Nick let me go back into the theatre first. Hanna and Brandon were both looking at me like I'd grown a second head. Paul didn't even seem to notice that I'd gotten up and left. I settled back into my seat, but instead of watching the movie, I tried to focus on the thrum of Nick's heart for the next hour and a half.

**Sorry it took so long to update. I've had a writer's block for the past few days [ugh] but today I was thinking about this instead of reading my psychology textbook. (:**

**Leave me a review, **_**por favor**_**. Also, I'm wondering if you would rather know Elsie's power and Nick's possible match-up, or if you'd rather wait and be surprised.**

**Peace. (:**


	6. Chapter 6

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – I think the writer's block is finally over (thank the Lord.) I'll try sending some internet mind message for your writer's block to end, too. :P**

**Shelly Crane – Thanks! I hope I'm doing the series justice. (:**

**I've been thinking about this chapter for a long time. I hope you guys enjoy it (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I lasted one week. One measly, long week. Paul and I hung out only three times. Hanna and I saw each other almost every day, and apparently I wasn't as good at hiding my secret as I thought I was. She seemed to think something was up, but it was easy to just fake feeling a little sick. She seemed to believe me, anyway. She also took it as a moment to say that Paul made me depressed, and that's why I wasn't feeling well.

Hanna could really get annoying with her belief that Paul and I didn't belong together. She was using everything she could to get me to "see the light." Her words, not mine. I knew I wasn't in love with Paul, but I did love him. There was a difference, big enough to be spoken to myself, but definitely not enough for me to just dump Paul. You don't fall in love immediately. It takes time. I was giving Paul that time.

But it definitely was a rough week. Every morning, I woke up feeling awful. Nick came to see me every morning, afternoon, and evening. He would catch me at my house in the mornings and nights, just before I went to bed. He found me in the afternoons that we didn't hang out together after my heartbeat freaked out enough for him to locate me. He was like clockwork. I could always count on him to be there for me. I still couldn't figure that out. It was _insane_. It shouldn't be possible.

But then again, I was learning that things weren't what they seemed. There was no rationalizing the way I felt sick without Nick's touch, the way he could find me so easily, the way I just _wanted_ to be with him, around him, breathing the same air as him.

Nick and I tended to hang out in the mornings. We'd separate a little after lunch, only to meet up again a few hours later. Still, it gave me a sense of normality, and it gave me time to get to know him. Nick was… well, he was an interesting guy. It didn't take me long to learn little tidbits about him, since we decided to play twenty questions – now turned "endless questions" – to break the ice. It worked like a charm. It didn't take me long to really felt like I knew him.

Outside of talking about our personal selves, we talked about Aces. Nick slowly told me stuff about his kind. _Our_ kind. I hated to think that I wasn't the person I always was – Elsie Gray, piano-player, song-writer, stubborn-headed and completely willing to argue. A decision-maker. A person who gave her all in things that she was passionate about. Nick never failed to tell me that I was still me; I just had something special hidden away for eighteen years.

I didn't see Nick's family anymore. After that one time, I steered clear. I don't know if it was me or him or both of us, but neither of us expressed a need to talk to them. Being around them made me nervous. It reminded me that I was surrounded by people who lived these fake lives, who imprinted and had soul mates, who had _powers_, and who expected me to fall hopelessly in love with a guy that I'd met a week before. I didn't know his reasoning for not bringing up his family again, and I didn't ask. I did know, though, that he and his family were close. Their proximity is what kept them safe and sound. They were always there for one another.

And it made me wonder why he didn't press to have me around his family so often, if his family and I were the two most important things to him (so he said.)

I guess I didn't really have room to speculate, though, because I hadn't introduced him to my brothers. Royce and Nolan had no idea who Nick was. I was quick to meet him in the mornings after Royce was gone and Nolan was still asleep. I was quick to say goodbye to him when he drove me home and dropped me off in front of the house. How was I supposed to introduce him to my family? I couldn't just stand there and say to my two overprotective brothers "hey, this is the guy that I'm supposedly destined to marry." That would not go over well.

One week. That's how long I knew him when my two worlds collided.

# # #

Nick and I were at lunch. That's all we ever seemed to do. This time around, we were walking around the little park outside the town square. I guess it wasn't really a park, but more like a square space of green grass, trees, and metal benches where little old ladies were supposed to sit and throw birdseed. We'd picked up hot dogs from the neighborhood drive-thru, and now we were sitting on the grass in the very middle of the square area that had been named a _park_.

Well, Nick was sitting. I'd finished my hot dog and was now laying back, the tall grass tickling the back of my neck underneath my mess of dark blonde hair. I liked to look at the clouds. Nick peered up into the sky as I pointed up at a fluffy shape. It didn't look like anything in particular, but it had become a game where I would say what a cloud would look like, and he'd search for the skyline to find it. It had become particularly fun to just say something I didn't see and watch while he tried to locate the imaginary cloud. I think he was just humoring me.

And we never failed to be touching. His fingertips on mine, a bare foot touching a leg, a hand just barely brushing a cheek. And I loved it. It was like I could just live off of his touch alone. And it sucked, because all I wanted to do was push it back. Having the need to have his touch was clouding my feelings. I wanted to be able to know that I'd fallen for him, not that I just enjoyed him because the imprint wanted me to. I was determined to fight it, and every time I reminded myself of that, I always remembered Maggie, telling me that it was impossible.

Telling me that all the love I'd felt before wouldn't compare to what I'd feel for Nick.

"You don't see it?" I laughed. I'd just said that I'd seen a mermaid cloud, and Nick was searching for it like his life depended on it. He was animated when we were together, and that made me laugh harder than anything. He was very clearly faking it, since he probably knew that I didn't see a mermaid in the sky.

Nick was about to answer me when I heard my name. "Elsie?"

I shot up into a sitting position, immediately yanking my hand from Nick's. Our fingers had just barely been touching, opening a channel between us. Still, it had been enough to look suspicious to anyone who knew I was with Paul. And the person standing in front of me definitely knew that I was taken by someone else.

Paul narrowed his eyes at Nick, and my heart plummeted. Nick eyed me with his peripherals. There was no doubt that he didn't feel my heart spike when I saw my boyfriend. The guy who was supposed to always be on my mind, the guy who I had immediately forgotten the moment I'd seen Nick.

"What are you doing?" Paul asked. He looked mad. He looked so, so mad. A wave of sickness crashed over me, and I caught Nick's fingers flexing. He was fighting the urge to reach out and touch me, just the way I was fighting to keep from reaching out for him. I knew what his touch would bring me, and I desperately wanted it.

But not in front of Paul.

"I'm just hanging out with a friend," I forced out. I glanced between the two guys and faked my enthusiasm. "Oh, yeah! You guys haven't met yet. Paul, this is my family friend, Nick Jacobson. Nick, this is my _boyfriend_, Paul White."

"Hey, man. What's up?" Nick stood up and brushed his hands on his jeans. He reached out to shake hands with Paul. I scrambled to stand up, my hands clasped in front of me, my whole body shaking. I could hear my heart thudding in my ears, and I knew Nick was trying to push it away.

Paul took Nick's hands, and the two of them looked at each other. I saw Paul's thin arm flex as he tried to prove that he had some sort of manly strength. I tried not to roll my eyes at him. Nick was a lot stronger than Paul would ever be, but it definitely wasn't my place to say that. Especially not now, when Paul had just found out that I'd been spending my time with someone else. Granted, he could think that it was just a one-time thing, which probably would've been safer. But the way his eyes slid over to me told me that he was thinking otherwise.

"Not much," Paul said, a little more sharply than he needed to. Nick glanced over his shoulder, towards the walking path, as if he'd heard someone coming. I realized that he was trying not to look at me, because if he did Paul would definitely read into it. "Elsie," He said, his eyes narrowing on me, "What are you doing here?"

His voice was so sharp that it scared me. Paul had never talked to me like that, ever. Our three-year anniversary was just a few weeks off, and he'd never spoken to me like I was a pain, or that I had caused trouble. I saw Nick's fingers flex again, but this time he was forcing himself not to make a fist. His immediate protection over me warmed my heart, which I found sort of annoying. How was I supposed to read my feelings if the imprint kept getting in the way?

"Like I said, I was just hanging out with Nick. We were really good friends when we were younger. It's been a long time since I've seen him." The lie was thick, coating the back of my throat. I fought to keep myself from playing the shifty-eyes game, which would tip Paul off that I was lying.

Paul looked conflicted, like he wasn't sure if he believed me or not. It sort of hurt, that he didn't seem to trust me. Never, not once, had I ever looked at someone else. I'd always been with Paul, throughout our junior and senior years of high school. I'd never flirted with another guy, I never took up an offer to go to a party without bringing Paul with me, and I'd never treated him like he was cheating on me. But I could see in his eyes that he thought that was exactly what I was doing. Cheating on him. With Nick.

"Jesus, Paul," I spouted. Paul gave a small jump, like a flinch. "Stop looking at me like I've been sneaking around behind your back. Nick is one of my best friends, okay?" The guy in question looked particularly pleased at being called one of my best friends, but he was hiding it well.

"Elsie, can I talk to you… over here?" Paul motioned down the path, towards a bench that was empty. I glanced over at Nick, my heart pounding in my chest. How was I supposed to walk over there if the imprint wouldn't let me leave him? My feet would be glued to the grass where I stood.

"Sure," I said, giving Nick a wide-eyed, help-me look. I was hoping that he would be able to figure it out. That's when I remembered that, if I focused hard enough, I would be able to send a clip of a thought towards him. We'd been working on it. It was what he had done to me at the movie theatre, and it had certainly been helpful then.

Nick seemed to catch the drift of what I was thinking. Either that or he already knew about the problem we would be facing. "I'll be fine, Elsie. Go on and talk to him. I'll just wait here." I let out a sigh. It was enough for me to be released from him. Paul raised his eyebrows at the two of us as I followed him down the path. We reached the bench, and I sat down, trying to inconspicuously look around my boyfriend to Nick, who had returned to sitting on the grass. He had his elbows propped up on his knees, and he was watching the little kids playing soccer on the field across from the pathway. I could hear moms and dads cheering from where I sat. Paul didn't sit down, which put me on edge.

I debated standing up again to face him, but that was cut off by Paul's words. "Who is he, really?"

"He's my _friend_, Paul. I was sure that I'd be allowed to have friends outside of our relationship." I had been freaked out the moment that he'd showed up, standing in front of me. Now, though, I was angry. Paul had never acted like this before. He'd never questioned my loyalty or acted like I belonged to him. In fact, that was something that I realized, just now. Regular couples spouted out that they belonged to each other, that they belonged together. Paul and I had never been like that. We'd always just done our own thing, occasionally meeting up and hanging out together. But I'd never, not once in almost three years, told him that I loved him. And he'd never said the same to me.

It hit me like a freight train, that realization that we didn't belong together. Hanna had been right, to my chagrin. I _had_ been using the lessons my mom had instilled in me to stay within my comfort zone. I'd never felt that thing that I was supposed to feel with a boyfriend. Never, not once in my life. My mom had always told me to find that one person you loved, and don't let them get away from you because of something stupid. But she _hadn't_ said that I should've forced myself to love someone I didn't. I felt tears prickling the back of my eyes, and I tried to look around Paul to see Nick. Just seeing him, sitting there waiting for me, was bound to make me feel a little bit better. Paul shuffled nervously under my watery gaze, and I was able to catch a glimpse of my significant. He looked like he was wrestling with himself to keep from rushing to my side. And it made me feel like there was something out there for me. Something that I needed.

My mom had always told me not to let someone go because of their flaws. Paul had flaws – he had plenty of them. But mom had always said that I should find that person that I loved. And Paul and I were doomed from the start. We were too different, on different paths and different ideas. He liked his videogames, and I wanted to write songs for a living. I wanted to travel, he wanted to stay home. I wanted to go on adventures, and he would rather be adventurous on his TV screen.

I stared at him, trying to figure out how to break up with him. How do you break up with someone that you'd been with for almost three years? Hanna would know, but she wasn't around, and I didn't want to wait. But then again, it would look really bad if I just broke up with him after he found me hanging out with Nick.

And then again, there was that little voice in the back of my head that wondered if I was just getting caught up in the moment, and if I would regret this later. I hate regret. It makes me feel like I don't know what I want, and I'm the type of girl that craves that sense of contentment. Maybe I would wait, let my head clear, give myself a chance to read my heart and my head, to find out what I wanted.

"You can," Paul said finally. "I just… well, I was just walking to the videogame store and I saw you lying in the grass with some other guy. It looked like you were holding hands, even."

"We weren't," I said. It was a half-truth. We weren't holding hands, but we were touching fingers. Those two things were different. I wiped the sides of my fingers under my eyes, trying not to cry in front of him. If one week was enough for me to get the basics of the Aces, then I didn't want to set Nick's protectiveness off. I was sure that he could see me, but he couldn't hear what we were saying, and he wouldn't be able to see why I was crying, if he could tell that I was. "God, Paul, why do you do this?"

"Why do I do what?" Paul demanded, immediately on the defensive. I wanted to just smack him. To slap him for making me feel like this. I shook my head.

"You don't act like you care about me until you see me hanging out with a _friend_. And then you think you can just barge in and say that I'm cheating on you or something!" I said. It was more like a shout, really. Some of the parents from the soccer game looked over at us as I dropped my face in my hands. "I just want you to leave me alone right now, okay?"

Paul reached out to touch my shoulder, and I flinched away. He let out a breath and shook his head. "Fine, Elsie. Have it your way. I'll call you later."

He walked away, leaving me sitting there on the bench. I listened to his footsteps as he walked away from me. I pulled my knees up onto the bench with me. A short five minutes later, I heard someone walking towards me. I knew who it was without looking up. I definitely knew who it was when he sat down on the bench next to me. We sat separated for a moment or two before he scooted over, pressing his side against me. This was something that resembled a vision I'd had. A shirt sleeve brushing against mine. But this was missing the kiss at the very end, before I'd been whirled away to something different.

"Are you okay?" His voice was low and warm. I didn't say anything, and he moved to put an arm around me. The moment he did that, I turned into his side. It was scary, at first, because his touch didn't do anything to take away my panic. I had a feeling that it was just too much for a simple touch to wipe away. I buried my face into his shirt, my nose at his shirt collar. He smelled good… like something that I couldn't really explain, but it was just right. Nick sat there with me, his hand splayed on the back of my neck under my hair. I kept the front of his shirt in my hand.

We sat there for a long time, just listening to the other's heartbeat. The time when he usually took me home passed, and still we didn't move.

# # #

Usually, Nick would drop me off an hour or two after lunch. This time, he dropped me off just before dinner. Royce was standing out on the front porch. Nolan was staring blatantly out the window. I wanted to smack my forehead against the glass of the car window. Nick slowed the car down at the curb, and Royce pushed off the side of the house.

"Oh, God." I whispered. "You need to leave. Like, right now." I said to him. Nick gave me a sad smile. He was perfectly fine before Paul had barged into our day. Now, he seemed to be hurting just alongside me. I wanted to just wipe away all those feelings so he didn't have to suffer it with me. But he was, and it made me hurt to see him like that.

It was like a double whammy.

"Please, don't let him talk to you." I said to Nick.

He shook his head and smiled. "I don't think he's just going to let me leave." I looked out my window, and saw that Royce was already halfway down from the house. I bet he'd finally met his breaking point. I'd been gone every morning with the same guy friend that neither of my brothers had met, and now I was gone all day, instead of being home "soon after lunch" like my note had said.

I smiled at Nick and opened up the door. I touched his hand and he whispered to me that I would be fine, and he would come and see me for a little while before I went to bed. I stepped out of the car just as Royce reached the end of the driveway. He started heading this way, and I leaned down and said, "Bye, Nick."

He nodded at me, though he still seemed a little concerned about leaving me. To make matters worse, I knew that he wanted to meet my brothers. I pretended to push the side of the car, and Nick laughed. He raised a hand in salute to me and Royce, and slowly pulled away from the curb. I could imagine him staring into the rearview mirror, watching me.

"What the heck, Elsie?" Royce demanded from me when I turned around. He motioned towards Nick's little black car, which had reached the stop sign at the end of the street. His blinker said that he was going to be turning right. I stared after him, wanting to chase him down the street. It was the feeling I always got when he was gone, after he'd just left me at my house.

"I don't need you scaring him off," I said to Royce. My older brother looked at me, and I could see the corner in his eyes. It was Nick's concern, but Nick had about ten thousand more units of concern than my brother did. And Royce had ten thousand more units of concern than Paul did. It made my eyes water, and Royce's face instantly softened.

"Elsie," He said, dropping his fists at his sides.

I pushed past him and up the stairs into the house. I ignored Royce calling after me, and I ignored Nolan following me down the hallway. I slammed my door hard, nearly closing it on Nolan's nose. I twisted the lock, and Nolan, the forward guy he always was, jiggled the lock. "Elsie," He called in.

I ignored him as I opened up my desk drawer and rifled through the papers that were stuffed in there. Nolan continued to tug on the doorknob while Royce pounded his fist on the door itself. They both called my name over and over, pleading me to come out and talk to them. I could hear the worry in their voices.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted at them. Eventually, they left my door alone, and I found the folded up sheet of paper I was looking for. I sat down on my bed and tugged my cell phone from my pocket. I pressed the numbers slowly and deliberately, and then put the phone to my ear.

_Please answer. Please, please answer._ I listened to three rings, and I was begging her to pick up. "Hello?"

I breathed out a sigh of relief, which sounded like a twisted sort of sob. "Maggie?"

**Cliff-hanger! Yay! (: **

**Leave me a review, because I'll try to update as fast as I can as long as I know you guys are reading and enjoying it. (Muahaha.)**

**Thank you all for reading! Peace. (:**


	7. Chapter 7

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – Cliffhangers are the best, aren't they? Haha (:**

**RED0505 – Thanks! (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

The only way for me to get away was out the window. I'd never done anything like this before. My head was spinning as I wedged my fingers underneath the window frame. The house was only one-story, so the drop wouldn't be far. I think my biggest fear was Royce or Nolan finding out and putting a stop to my actions right away. I _needed_ to get away from here, away from people who didn't know and wouldn't understand. I held my breath as I pushed open the window. It squeaked loudly, making me wince. I doubted my brothers heard it, though. It wouldn't really matter much, because my bedroom door was locked.

I dropped my purse – a new one, with straps that would actually hold together – onto the ground below. It thumped loudly. I held my breath for a moment longer, trying to figure out how to wedge myself out of the window. It wasn't exactly a big window, and I was trying to figure out how to land with my feet on the ground. Finally, I managed to throw one foot out of the window and slide out.

I managed to land safely. I stood there for a moment, my ankles hurting from the sudden impact. I swiped up my bag and started down the street. It was times like these that made me really want a car. I'd always wanted a vehicle, but we hadn't exactly been able to afford it. I guess it hadn't really been that bad, because Paul and Hanna had cars. They had been my sources of transportation for the last couple of years. But still, it would make it easier to get away.

Maggie had directed me to Caleb's house. It wasn't that far of a walk, but I was still feeling hot and a little gross by time I reached the big front gates of Caleb's house. It was about the same size as Nick's house, with a huge gate across the driveway. There was a design on it, but I didn't really pause to look at it. I hit the button in front of the gate, waiting impatiently for someone to come over the intercom.

"Who is it?" It was a deep voice. I thought it was Caleb's father, Peter, but I wasn't for sure.

I cleared my throat. "Elsie Gray, sir. I'm here to talk to Maggie."

"Elsie!" Peter exclaimed, like he was truly excited to have me at his house. It was a funny sort of feeling that washed over me. Someone was excited to have me around, even though I had no real relation to him. I guess that's not really how they saw it, though. The lot of them had called me _family_ within two minutes of meeting them. "Come on in," He said. The gate started to open, and I waited until it looked like it wasn't going to snap closed before stepping past.

Maggie was standing at the front door, Caleb hovering behind her. He had his hand around the back of her neck, his thumb resting on the tattoo that I'd seen before. She smiled at me and reached out to take my hand, pulling me into the house. I followed closely behind, saying hello to Peter and Rachel. Maggie and Caleb led me through a labyrinth of hallways.

Finally, Maggie stopped in front of a room. She turned to Caleb, put a hand on his chest, and met his eyes. If I hadn't known better, I would think that they were just talking with their eyes. But I knew that they were actually talking to each other, sending words back in forth in their minds. I'd tried that with Nick, too, but we never managed to get more than a word or two across. Caleb sighed and leaned in to give Maggie a quick kiss before leaving us alone.

"Come on in," Maggie said, opening up the door. She led me into an immaculately clean bedroom. There were instruments all over the place, but other than that, it was pretty bare. Simple. Maggie sat down on the end of the bed and motioned for me to take a seat. I pulled out the bench in front of the little piano sitting in the corner.

"So tell me," Maggie said easily. She gave me a sweet smile, her eyes clear and honest. I'd never met someone who was so kind-hearted before. She looked like she honestly wanted to help me. But other than that, she looked _happy_. Even my parents, who had been together forever, weren't as outwardly happy all the time like Maggie was. And instead of feeling annoyed that this love was supposed to inevitable, I craved it. I wanted to have someone at my side that would make me smile like that, all the time.

"Can't you just read my mind?" I asked, but instead of being controlled, my voice was shaky. I sounded tired.

Maggie gave me another small smile. It was sort of sad, like she was reading my direct thoughts and somehow getting my emotions from them. "I can, but sometimes it's easier to hear it from you. Sometimes someone needs to say something out loud."

I took a deep breath. I'd thought about it for a long time when I was by myself. Those feelings that I'd felt when Paul had confronted me in the park were still there. After a moment of sitting there, I'd decided that there wasn't anything to regret by breaking up with Paul, because… well, I was starting to feel something for Nick. It was sort of like a crush feeling. Like I wanted to impress him whenever I knew he was going to be around, like I wanted to be flirty and funny and exactly who he wanted to be with.

"I think I need to break up with Paul," I said quietly. "But I don't want to regret it. I don't want this… this imprint to force me to fall for Nick. What if it's a mistake? Or what if it doesn't work out?" I felt tears prickling the back of my eyes, and I swallowed hard, trying to keep them back.

Maggie reached out and touched my arm. "Imprints are never a mistake. It's just two souls seeing each other, fully and completely, and deciding that the other person is the one person for them in the world. I'll be honest, I had the same feelings you are now. What if it was by accident? Or what if it's not meant to be? But it _is_, Elsie. Imprints always work out. They're _meant_ to be there, or else there wouldn't be any reason for them."

"But what about Paul and Nick? I don't want this imprint to make me feel a certain way. I don't want to hate myself for it later."

Maggie shook her head. "The imprint is not getting in the way. Think about it. You liked Nick before you two imprinted. You were completely attracted to him. And then when you actually did imprint, you found out that you really did like the guy you were with. It has nothing to do with the imprint and everything to do with you." She said.

I wiped at my tears, my heart beating erratically. Was this for real? Was I really going to break up with Paul, step out of a three-year relationship, for another guy? I thought of Nick, his slightly curling brown hair and turquoise blue eyes, his quirky smile and his warm laugh. The answer was _yes_. I would always want Nick over anyone else.

And now that Maggie mentioned it, I _had_ felt that attraction to Nick before we touched. And if watching her with Caleb was any proof, the imprints weren't jokes or lies. They were real. And that meant that what I felt for Nick had to be real.

I wasn't sure if it was love, but I was definitely crushing on him.

So that was it, then. That tied all my loose ends. It was time to say goodbye to Paul, time for me to move on to who I was theoretically meant to be with. I wiped at my eyes again, and Maggie patted my hand.

"Believe me, it's perfect. I know you have that thing about ignoring the flaws of someone you love… you'll find flaws in Nick, but you'll love them just like you love him. You don't have to settle for anyone. You shouldn't have to deal with someone who is not one hundred percent meant for you." She said.

I nodded. Maggie had just sealed the deal for me. Paul and I were over. Nick and his family would probably be ecstatic. As I thought about my impending breakup, my heart rate started to pick up. I'd broken up with guys before, but all of those relationships had only lasted months, and they'd been pretty mutual. I had a feeling that the same rules didn't apply to relationships that lasted years, and I wasn't sure that Paul was on the same page I was. I was scared about what would happen, scared about what Paul would say to me or what other people would think about me.

Maggie stood up and took my hand. "Have you made your decision, Elsie?"

I sat there for a moment longer, knowing that she already knew the answer to that, but she wanted to hear a verbal confirmation. I nodded slowly. "I'm breaking up with Paul." My breath caught in my throat, and Maggie smiled sadly at me.

"Come on." She led me out of the bedroom and down the hall. I couldn't even begin to wrap my brain around the hallways. I had no idea how she knew where she was going. It didn't help that I had no idea where I was. My heart was racing at the idea of saying goodbye to Paul. I was honestly scared about what my brothers would say to me when they found out Paul and I weren't together anymore. I was scared of what Paul would say to me.

We'd just sat down at an empty table in the kitchen. Caleb was there, pouring glasses of sweet tea. He handed one to me and carried the other two to the table. I'd just sat down when Peter breezed by, heading towards the front door. He opened it up, and I heard a voice say, "Where is she?"

The voice was so familiar, so warm and just what I wanted to hear, that I felt my heart rate spike. I stared at the empty archway. Nick came around the corner, into view. He had a hand to his chest, as if he was trying to hold my heartbeat there, to calm it down. He stepped to the table just as I stood up. His hands immediately went to my face, and we both sighed. I managed to glance at Maggie and Caleb, who were looking away, like they were trying to give us some sort of privacy. Peter stood in the archway, watching the two of us.

"Are you okay? What are you doing here?" Nick asked so quietly that it was almost like it was only the two of us in the entire world. His breath was hot on my cheek.

"I'm fine," I said. "I was just here talking to Maggie."

"Maggie?" Nick repeated. She raised a hand in hello, and Nick gave her an easy smile. "Thanks, I guess," He said to her. He took my hand in his. "If you don't mind, I would like to steal you away and talk to you. What do you say to dinner?" He asked.

"I say that'd be nice," I replied.

I paused as Maggie and Caleb stood up to tell us goodbye. Quickly, I gave Maggie a hug. "Thank you," I whispered in her ear.

Maggie patted my back. "Anytime, Elsie. I'm here for you." She patted Caleb's arm and added, "He is, too. We're your family now, and no matter what, we'll stand beside you."

I nodded, said goodbye to them, and followed Nick out the front door and down the steps. His car was sitting just outside the gate. I sighed and leaned against him as I walked.

I'd made my decision. And I wasn't going to change my mind.

# # #

Nick and I were sitting in his car. We'd thought about going somewhere good for dinner, somewhere where we sat down at a table, but we'd somehow unanimously decided against it. It didn't matter to me, because now that I had decided that I was going to attempt a relationship with Nick. I wanted to be around him. He had no idea what I'd decided, he had no idea that I'd officially chosen him over Paul. And it would be hard to tell him in a crowded restaurant.

I took a handful of fries and picked through them. Nick shoved a whole chicken nugget into his mouth. I tried not to laugh, but a girly giggle still leaked out. Nick gave me a quirky side smile and wiped his mouth with a bright yellow napkin.

Nick had parked in front of a little building that sold trinkets. It was the type of place that grandmothers shopped at to get those weird little gifts. I had taken off my seatbelt and turned sideways to look at him. I'd watched his profile silently as I ate. I wasn't sure if he knew or not, since he continued to devour his food like it was about to grow legs and run away from him.

"Nick," I said quietly. He balled up his napkin and tossed it into the take-out bag. His eyes, glowing blue despite the dark, connected with mine. I paused for a second, the words sticking in my throat as I looked at him. Maggie was right. I couldn't separate the imprint and my feelings, because they were one in the same. I'd imprinted with him because of my feelings, even if I hadn't felt them at the time. "I'm breaking up with Paul." I said.

Nick raised an eyebrow. "So, what does that mean for us?"

"I think… I think I'm willing to try and date you."

He smiled, lighting up his eyes. His white teeth glowed a little bit from the light. "You want to date me?"

I laughed. "Don't be so cocky. And that's only if you want to date me."

Without missing a beat, he said, "I've wanted to date you from the moment our hands touched." His voice was low and warm, and it sent tingles down my spine. "And, as always, you set the pace. Don't forget that."

"Believe me, I didn't. I like to have a little power in a relationship." I said sarcastically.

Nick laughed, and I felt like I was smiling like an idiot.

# # #

When I woke up the next morning, I realized that this was it. This was the day that I was going to break up with Paul. I didn't want to drag this out any longer, because we both deserved to find someone we truly cared about. According to Nick's family, I'd already found mine.

Paul had called me last night when I'd been with Nick. He'd left me a message saying that he was sorry that he'd upset me, but he was annoyed that I hadn't answered the phone for him. My heart thumped in my chest at the idea of telling him that we were over. He would be livid. And it would back his ideas that I'd been cheating on him with Nick. Especially when I started showing up with Nick around town. I wasn't sure if I could hide from Paul forever.

There was a knock on my window. I glanced up, holding onto my phone a little tighter. Nick was standing at my window. He couldn't see through the curtains that I hung up, and I couldn't see him through them, but I knew it was him. Who else would be at my window this early in the morning?

I tossed my phone onto my bed and ran a hand through my hair. I was wearing sleep shorts and an old T-shirt. It wasn't the most flattering outfit, but it covered me. I pushed back the curtain and smiled at him. I wasn't really sure if he was my boyfriend or not, now. We'd never actually said that we were exclusive, but it was implied. A shiver shook through me at the idea of him being my boyfriend. I pushed open the window, and he reached in to touch my fingers.

"Hi," I said quietly. Royce hadn't left for the gym yet, which meant Nolan was still hanging around, too. He was working today, but he needed Royce to drive him to work since we only had the one car. Nick gave me a dazzling smile, and I was overcome with the urge to kiss him.

I'd decided that I wanted to try dating Nick, but that didn't mean that I was liable to kiss him right off the bat. While I'd decided that I liked him, I couldn't tell if it was just a distant crush phase or if it really meant something. And the thing I loved was that he understood that. He understood my confusion, and he was willing to wait for me. He'd told me as much with his constant reminders that I was the one that was given the gift of setting the pace. Maggie had told me that Caleb had told that to her. It made me smile just a little bit, because what Maggie and Caleb had was absolutely beautiful, and I wanted that for me one day.

"Royce and Nolan haven't left yet," I said.

Nick nodded. "I saw the car in the driveway. I'd ask to come in, but I don't think I'm going to fit into that window without making enough noise to call your brothers."

"Probably not," I said, leaning on the sill. My face was just a few inches above his. It was weird that he was looking up and me and I was looking down on him. I was even lying on my stomach on the sill, my arms crossed in front of me. "It took me ten minutes to figure out how to leave."

Nick laughed, and I smiled.

This was going to work. At least, I hoped it would.

**Short chapter, but it's late. I hope you enjoyed it, and I PROMISE that I will be updating in the next few days. (I just love this series. I can't stay away.)**

**Anyway, I wanted to thank all of you for reading, and I want to remind you to leave me a review so I know what you guys think. Peace. (:**


	8. Chapter 8

**I told you guys I couldn't stay away for long! I'm back with yet another chapter! (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

Royce knocked on my door. I gave Nick a wide-eyed look and yanked back into my room, nearly hitting my head on the window frame. Nick flattened himself against the side of the house as I ran to my bedroom door. I grabbed the knob just as Royce started to twist it open.

"Hi," I said, smoothing a hand over my hair. I tried to erase the Oh-God-you-almost-caught-me look from my eyes as I glanced past him and into the hallway. "Where's Nolan?" I was waiting for him to tell me that he was waiting in the car, or worse, that he'd decided to take some random walk around the house, where he would find Nick just below my window. I bit down on my lip, trying to keep myself from turning to look at the guy I was destined to fall in love with.

"He's in the kitchen. What are you going to be doing today?" He asked. His eyes scanned my room, and I fought back the urge to tell him to back off. Royce was extremely overprotective. He had been when my parents were still alive, but it was worse now. It was like he thought everyone was out to get me or something.

"I think I'm just going to hang out with some friends." I said. It was my summer, and I didn't have a job. I should have, because it would make it easier for Royce and Nolan. But I was the one that cleaned the house and did the grocery shopping, and the only money I spent for myself was the money I'd earned from babysitting. I wanted to ask him what else I was supposed to do, but I kept that little bit locked inside me.

"Nick?" Royce asked. He didn't exactly say it nicely. It was more with a condescending tone, one that he usually reserved for when Paul and I were supposed to be going out alone.

I wasn't going to lie to him, because if he found out otherwise he would be livid. And I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he knew something weird was up. I always told the truth when it came to who I was hanging around with. "Probably," I said offhandedly.

"Elsie, I don't like you hanging out with him. I've never even met the guy. Last night, he just left before I could even talk to him. And you've been hanging out with him every day. Give the kid a break."

"I think he wants to hang out with me as much as I wanted to hang out with him." I shot back. Was it just me, or did I really hear a hint of his chuckle in my head? I was pretty sure that he'd figured out a way to worm through my defenses. Granted, they weren't very strong, but they were still there. I tried not to smile at the thought of Nick in my head. How many guys could fairly say that they were in their girlfriends' heads? The thought of me being his girlfriend brought another wave of happiness through me. "Besides, I like him."

Royce narrowed his eyes at me. "You _like_ him?" He wasn't asking me if I just liked Nick in general. He was asking me if I _liked_ him, as in, did I want to _date_ him.

"God Royce, you're such a girl," I said to diffuse the situation. What could I tell him? Yeah, I was pretty sure that I was crushing on a guy who was my imprinted soul mate? It was getting harder to just pretend that nothing was wrong with me, when I was tied down to someone for all eternity. I was hoping that sarcasm would be enough to wipe away any notion that he had about me and Nick. I wanted to run to the window and touch Nick, just so I could feel that extreme calm.

Royce rolled his eyes at me. "Whatever, but I think you should stop hanging out with this guy so much." I opened my mouth to argue with him, and he cut me off. "And if you _insist_ on hanging out with this guy, I want to meet him. I don't care if I have to stalk you to meet the guy."

"Jesus, way to be a creeper," I told him. Another laugh from Nick. Another sly smile across my face.

Royce snorted. "I'm going to the gym. I'll be back before I go to work." The way he said it implied that he expected me to be here. I waited without saying a word, and he shook his head at me. "If you're going to leave, then there better be a note on the kitchen counter."

"Got it, bro," I said sarcastically. Royce smiled at me as he headed down the hallway. I heard him say something to Nolan, though I couldn't make out any words. I sighed and closed the door behind me, turning the lock. Then I rushed back to the window. Nick was still standing there. He gave me an easy smile, and I grinned back.

"You know, your brother's right," He said, gripping the edge of the sill with his fingers. I leaned forward, my arms brushing his fingertips. "I wouldn't be happy if my little sister was running around every day with a guy I haven't met."

"Good thing you don't have a little sister," I told him. Nick laughed, and I smiled at him. Yep, I definitely wanted to be with him more than I wanted to be with Paul. I couldn't understand why I didn't see it before. Maybe it was because I was so determined to be stubborn about it. Or maybe it was because I was looking at it so hard. My mom used to say that a watched cake wouldn't bake as quickly as an unwatched cake would. I figured that the same principle applied, at least, in this situation.

I heard the front door open and close – both the muffled sound from inside the house and the slam of the door from outside. Nick glanced towards the driveway. We were silent as we waited for the car's engine to rev up. I heard Nolan say something to Royce as the car doors slammed shut. They rolled out of the driveway, and I sighed. "I'm going to go unlock the door and change. You come on in." I told him.

Nick gave me a huge smile as I pulled away from the window. I slid down the glass and locked it, dropping the curtain over the window. Then I headed towards the front door. Nick was already leaning against the wall, waiting for me. I unlocked the front door and gave him a mischievous smile. Nick stepped inside and I shut the door behind him. Royce would work out for about an hour, plus the thirty minutes it took to drive to Nolan's work, then the gym, and back home. But then again, he could cut his workout time short in hopes that he would catch me before I left. Either way, it meant that I had to shower and get dressed as quickly as I could.

"There's food in the kitchen. I've got to go shower. You be _good_." I told him.

"Yes, ma'am," Nick said, heading towards the kitchen where I'd directed him. I smiled at his back and hurried down the hallway.

# # #

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked me. He'd rolled up to the end of the street, a mere four houses down. We sat in his car, parked at the curb.

I glanced at him. I tried to feign that I was perfectly fine, though my stomach had dropped and my heart had picked up. It wasn't any secret that Nick knew I was panicking, but it was worth the shot, anyway. I didn't want to seem weak in away way. "Don't you want me to?"

"I do, but I don't want you to do it unless _you_ want to." He gave me a very serious look. I forced myself to give him a smile. He looked like he was hurting deep d own inside, and it was entirely my fault. And then there was that moment of happiness, because Nick was willing to let me do whatever I wanted, even if it hurt him. He really was a good guy.

"I want to," I said. I touched his hand, accepting that warm calmness that washed over me like I'd been dunked in water. We both told one another that we'd be there for the other person, that I was just going to go and fix something, and then I'd be back to see him. He told me that he'd wait for me, and the way he said it made me think that he meant longer than just the fifteen minutes or so that it would take to do this. He would wait for me _forever_ if he had to.

I opened up the car door and flashed him a smile, though I had a feeling that it looked extremely faked. I swallowed and turned away from the car, walking down the sidewalk. I counted the houses as I moved, hoping that it would take my mind off of what I was about to do.

It didn't.

I reached his front door. I shuffled there on the stoop for a moment, looking at the creepy yard gnome that his mother had absolutely loved. And then there was the "home sweet home" sign that I'd bought his mom for her birthday one year. It had been a cheap item on the clearance rack, but she'd loved it anyway. I bit down on my lip and thought about just rushing down the stairs and trying again later.

But Nick was waiting for me, and he was depending on me to get this done. I knew that he said he didn't care if I didn't do this, but I wanted to. I was not about to let fear get in the way of this. I had always tried my best to do things right when I decided for them to be done. It was part of what made me so stubborn. I took a deep breath and pressed the yellowed doorbell. I heard it ring from where I stood on the front porch, and my heart rate shot through the roof. I tried to keep from shaking, my hands becoming instantly clammy.

I was hoping that he would answer the door, but of course, that didn't work out. His mom opened up the door, and she lit up when she saw me. "Elsie! It's been such a long time since I've seen you!" She reached out to hug me, smelling faintly of cleaning supplies and the spray of her perfume. I gave her an awkward hug back. I'd always liked Mrs. White, but now there was a huge barricade between us. I mean, it wasn't like she'd been my best friend, but she was indefinitely tied to the guy that I was about to dump. "How are you?" She asked.

"I'm, um, fine," I said. I forced myself to give her a smile, hoping that it was somewhat realistic. Mrs. White didn't seem to catch anything, which made me sigh in relief. I was really craving Nick's touch. I wanted to step in, break up with Paul, and step out, but I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. I was scared about what he was going to say to me, and I was worried that Nick wouldn't be able to take it, and he would come running up to the house. That definitely would cause a scene, and it wasn't something that I needed. "Is Paul around?" I asked.

"He's in his room. Go on back," Mrs. White said, giving me a huge smile. She had no idea. I wondered how she would look at me if she knew that I was going in there to break up with her son, and I was doing it for another guy. There probably wouldn't be that look of happiness on her face. She'd probably be giving me a dirty look. I could practically hear the rumors going between her and her friends, now, since Mrs. White was one of those women that still gossiped like she did when she was in high school.

I thanked her and took the stairs down. Paul was one of those people that had a basement bedroom. It was pretty creepy, especially since there were no windows. It was all artificial light – from lamps and from his big screen TV, which I still hadn't figured out how he got down there in the first place. There was a door that led to the basement. I pulled it open, wondering if he would see the light from the open doorway.

Paul was sitting on a beanbag chair, with an open bag of chips beside him, controller in his hands, headset over his ears. It had a little microphone that wrapped around to the front of his mouth. He jerked with each move that he made on the TV screen, and he was talking into the microphone, laughing about something. I cleared my throat, and he didn't even look up at me. He couldn't hear me over the din of animated rifles and the scene of war that had taken residence on his TV screen. I reached out and flicked the light switch by the end of the stairs. Paul flinched, covering his eyes with one hand. He managed to hit the pause button with his eyes closed, and then he looked up at me. "Hold on, my girlfriend's here." He said into the headset. I could hear someone reply back, but I couldn't really tell what the other guy said. It was probably one of Paul's good friends.

"What are you doing here?" Paul asked, standing up from his beanbag chair. He cleared his throat and reached for his soda, which was sitting on the ground next to the bag of chips. He downed whatever was in it, and then raised his eyebrows at me expectantly.

"I needed to come talk to you." I said.

"Is this about that stunt you pulled at the park?" He asked.

I immediately bristled. "It wasn't a _stunt_. Jesus, Paul," I said, shaking my head. "You're the one that flipped out on me for hanging out with someone else."

"I did not _flip out_," He said. "I simply asked what you were doing and who you were with. Sorry if I was suspicious. What kind of girlfriend hangs out with another guy and acts all funny after her boyfriend catches her?"

"I wasn't doing _anything_ but looking at the clouds." I told him.

"I could see that. I didn't think anything of it until you started acting so weird," He said.

"Well I guess you don't have to worry about it anymore," I shot off without thinking. Paul stopped, empty can still clutched in his hand. I froze, too, realizing that there was a hot blush creeping up my neck. It would color my cheeks soon, an after effect of the frustration. We stood there, staring at each other for a while.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked after a moment of silence.

My eyes started to water. I brushed away the tears and looked up at him. "I don't think this is going to work out," I whispered.

"What won't?" Paul asked. His voice was tight, eyes staring holes into me.

"_Us_. We won't work out."

"You're dipping out because of one little misunderstanding?" Paul demanded. "We've never fought, and the one time _you_ start acting strange, you're all out for breaking up with me?"

"We never fought because I made sure we didn't!" My voice broke out, no longer a quiet whisper. Mrs. White was bound to hear if she was listening in. My voice also cracked, and Paul threw the empty can into the trashcan. The guy didn't even _recycle_.

"What?"

"I hate the way you think you can just show up late and I'd be totally fine with it. I hate the way you take me on dates to the _videogame_ store. I hate how you think I'd want a gift card to the videogame store when I don't have a game station or whatever it is." Paul opened his mouth, probably to correct me on the name of his gaming system, but I continued on. "I hate the way you argue with my best friend. I hate the way you hide away in here and play your stupid games all day. I hate the way you don't ever want to hang out with me. I hate the way you don't call me. And most of all, I hate the way you think I can just be okay, just dandy, and just stand by your side and do whatever you want to do!"

Paul stared at me, open-mouthed. "There are plenty of things that I don't like about _you_," He said. "But I'm not the one breaking up with you about it." I didn't say anything, still fuming, and in shock at the relief I felt about telling Paul all the things that I couldn't stand about him. When I didn't answer, he said, "So that's it then? We're over?"

"We're over." I said, turning on my heel.

I had just put a foot up on the stairs when Paul said, "Is this about that guy, too?"

I turned to look at him. I was debating telling him the truth. Not the part about how we were soul mates, but about the part where I intended to date him. I took a deep breath. "I don't know," I told him. It wasn't exactly a lie, because I wasn't sure if I would end up with Nick, though it definitely looked like I was.

Paul shook his head at me. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out," He said, turning back to the TV. I fought to hold a sob in my throat. He didn't even care that I'd broken up with him, not really. He just turned around and went right back to doing what he had been before I'd walked in. I didn't bother to hit the lights as I headed up the stairs. I left his door open and flew past the kitchen. Mrs. White called out to me as I left, but I hurried out the front door and down the steps, flying down the sidewalk.

I could see Nick's car from Paul's front yard. I could see Nick scrambling to get out of the car, his arm caught on the seatbelt or something. He left his door open, managing to reach the back of the car just as I reached him. I slammed into him, my arms going around him as I let my tears go. I didn't cry. I tried my best not to cry in front of anyone, but Nick had already seen me crying once, and now he was going to see me really sob.

I didn't think that he needed to hang around and watch me cry over a different guy. It had just hurt so bad that he didn't care that I was leaving him. It was like I was just a past time, just something to waste time with until it got old and the new model came out.

"I don't care if I have to watch you cry over some other guy. You're my responsibility, Elsie. You belong to me." Instead of being annoyed that he was laying claim over me, I was overjoyed. I was a stubborn, down-to-earth woman of the twenty-first century. I could take care of myself. But I still _loved_ to hear him say that he wanted to take care of me.

And then I realized something else. "You can hear me?"

"You weren't trying to send something to me?" He asked.

"I wasn't purposely trying," I managed to say around my sniffles.

Nick smiled, leaned down to kiss my temple, and said, "Maybe we're going to be able to talk in our minds now, since you cut him loose."

I sniffled, barking out a laugh that was halfway between a giggle and a sob. Nick's arms tightened around me, and I clutched the front of his shirt in my fist. I could feel our heartbeats together in his chest, and it sent shivers all the way down to my toes. I wanted to lean into him, wanted to kiss him, but I didn't want our first kiss to be the result of me freaking out over a different guy. I wanted it to just be the two of us, just because I wanted to.

Nick led me to the passenger side of the car. He opened the door and let me sit down. He closed the door behind me and walked around the front of the car to climb in on his side. I took a deep breath, trying to force myself to calm down. Nick reached over and put a hand on the side of my neck. I let out a deep breath. I was so worked up that his touch didn't calm me right away, which made my heartbeat pick up a little more. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes tightly and sighed when he managed to break through the freak-out walls that I'd unconsciously put up.

# # #

Royce and Nolan had gone to dinner. Nolan had texted me, saying that they were picking up Chinese and wanted to know if I wanted any. That meant that nobody was home, and it was safe for Nick and I to sit and talk.

I sat sideways in the car seat, looking over at Nick as he flicked through his CD's. He was quizzing me on music, to see if I liked the same things as him. It was surprising, the amount of things that we had in common. He flicked another CD and started laughing when he saw it. "I remember this," He said, running a finger over the edge of the CD.

"What is it?" I asked, leaning forward to get a better look. That put my face right next to his. I was so affected by his proximity that I couldn't even focus enough to read the title of the CD. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. He was giving me a sly look, and I caught the image of him taking my face in his hands and kissing me. It had to be something from him, because it wasn't my thought. It warmed me all the way to my toes, knowing that I could read his mind, and knowing that he really did want to kiss me.

"Do you remember the first day we saw each other?" He asked, slowly closing the CD case.

"Yeah," I said, but it came out all breathy and damsel-in-distress like. I blinked, trying to gather control of my feelings.

"I know you're worried that I don't care for you like you care about me." I raised my eyebrow at him, and he reached out and tapped my forehead. "Even if you don't admit it out loud, I can get the hint of things, too," He said, a sly smile spreading across his face. "My point is… I can show you."

"What?"

"I didn't tell you about the memory transfer," He said. "It's sort of… well, only two significants can do it with each other." He reached out and touched my neck, pulling me forward. My heart rate spiked, but that's because I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead, he pressed his forehead to mine. Surprisingly, I liked the contact. He closed his eyes, and I closed mine.

Colors whirled around in my head. It didn't take me long to realize where we were. The videogame store, where I'd first seen him. My heart caught in my throat as I opened the door. Well, it wasn't really me, it was _him_. It was so weird to see things through his point of view – the way his hand, much larger than my own, reached out for the door. The way Paul and Martin, two complete strangers, didn't catch his attention the way he one girl in the entire store had. She had dark blonde hair, curled and pretty, falling over her shoulders. A blue draping top, dark skinny jeans, and an old purse that looked like it was about to break any moment.

Me.

I watched as Nick thought about how pretty she was, and he hadn't even seen her face yet. And then when she turned to look at the open door, he caught sight of her eyes. I was surprised that instead of just the dark brown I saw whenever I looked in the mirror, he saw a deep pool of chocolate, smooth and enticing. He tried to turn his back to the girl, just to get her out of his head. But she was like a beacon of warmth, a constant connection across a store. He wondered if this was what Caleb and Kyle had talked about, the instant thought that a girl was absolutely beautiful. But that didn't mean that she was his soul mate. It didn't prove anything.

He wished. He wished so hard that he could find someone that was absolutely, one hundred percent perfect for him. He wished that it was the girl, because she was beautiful, and even from a distance, he could tell that she was warm and kind, but she also had a sort of spunk to her. He could tell just by the way she raised her eyebrows at the store clerk, and the way she picked through the games with clear annoyance.

He decided to walk close to her, see if there was any sort of pull. He'd never felt anything like this before, but could the imprints really be coming back? Could that really mean that he would imprint with someone? Just as he passed, the straps of her purse broke. She lunged for the bag, but the contents of it spilled out anyway. Immediately, he got down to help her. He just happened to reach for the notebook at the same time she did, and when he did, there was cooling warmth that rushed through him. Images, unseen and blurry to me, passed through his head. And then there was a burst of joy, that the one girl he thought was the most beautiful thing in the world was his.

Nick pulled back a little bit, and my mind cleared of the image. I gasped the moment the connection was broken. "That was your memory?" I asked. He stayed close, our breath mingling in the air between us. I was sure that his windows were going to start fogging up from our breath.

Nick nodded, his forehead almost bumping into mine. "Yeah," He said. "It's so we can get multiple views on what happened in the past. But it's also useful to show you how much you mean to me." A flirty, mischievous smile crossed his lips.

It pulled at my heartstrings. It made me want to lean in and kiss him. I started to fight the notion, but then I realized… I wasn't tied down to a boyfriend anymore. I was free to do whatever I wanted without consulting someone to see if it was okay. And it also meant that I was free to kiss whoever I wanted.

I'd had the idea that I needed to wait, that I needed to get to know him better. But when I'd met Paul, I pecked him on the lips on the first date, and I'd known him less than I knew Nick now. And Nick… well, I was destined to be with him after all. And the funny thing was that it didn't bother me to belong to him, like it did when Paul called me "his girl." I _wanted_ to be Nick's, because he was _mine_.

Nick must've caught my decision in my mind, because he sucked in a breath. Lights flashed as car pulled onto the street, but it didn't matter. I leaned in a little more, our noses brushing against each other. I didn't think anything about the lights I'd seen until the entire car shook with the force of someone hitting the hood. I glanced up, and caught the sight of my eldest brother, staring into the window, his eyes narrowed and his mouth downturned.

"What the _heck_, Elsie?"

**Muahaha. (: Cliffhanger! If you're lucky, I'll update either tomorrow or Monday. (Which will honestly **_**probably**_** happen, but don't hold me to it.)**

**You know what to do when you finished reading a chapter! Click that lovely review button and leave me your thoughts. Peace. (:**


	9. Chapter 9

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – Aww thanks (: You don't know how happy that review made me! And yes, Paul is totally a jerk. Haha (:**

**booklover9940 – Haha (: Sorry for the cliffy, but they're so much fun!**

**I just read the second chapter of **_**Defiance**_** on Mrs. Crane's blog. It turns out that Rodney lives on a ranch, so… SURPRISE! (: Nick lives on a ranch, now. Haha (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I cursed under my breath. I couldn't believe that I'd forgotten about Royce and Nolan picking up dinner. I should've _known_ that they would be home soon. Nick glanced at me, but he made no move to get away. Royce would see that the two of us were incredibly close, that this was more than just two friends hanging out together. And to make matters worse, he knew that this was the Nick that I refused to let him meet. And even worse, he didn't know that I'd broken up with Paul. I could tell by the look on his face that he thought I was the type of girl to go sneaking around with other guys. I think that hurt more than anything.

I pushed open my door and stepped out, hoping that Nick wouldn't follow. And I was surprised that he hadn't had to release me to let me out of the car. I closed the door behind me just as Royce came around to my side. He was _fuming_. I caught a glimpse of Nolan standing there by the car, holding the plastic bag of Chinese food. It would've been amusing if Royce wasn't standing over me, clearly ticked.

I was determined to stand my ground against my brother. He would never do anything to hurt me, but he certainly looked menacing. He was broad and tall and thick. He could easily beat someone up, chew them up and spit them out. Royce was the type of guy that I wouldn't want to cross. But he would never do anything to me.

"Is this what you do, Elsie? You sneak around behind your boyfriend's back?" He demanded. I could see a vein popping out on the side of his neck. I'd never seem him so mad before, especially not at something that was completely my business. I didn't know why it mattered to him so much, anyway. But it had somehow struck a chord deep down.

I heard Nick's car door slam shut, and my heart rate shot through the roof. Royce would turn on Nick, blaming him for the fact that I was hanging around with him in the first place. Nick was already on the defensive. I could feel a steady stream of frantic thoughts coming from his mind. He didn't think Royce , would purposely hurt me, but he was worried that he would hurt me _accidentally_. He was huge compared to me, and he was a lot stronger than I would even be.

"You," Royce said, turning to point at Nick. "Who _are_ you, anyway?" He demanded. He made a step forward to walk around the front of the car. Nick was starting to walk the same way.

I reached out and grabbed his arm. "Royce, stop!" I yanked on his arm as hard as I could. My brother tried to pull against me. The only thing I could think to do was drop to the ground. I practically fell onto the sidewalk, dragging Royce down with me. He managed to keep his balance, though, nearly pulling me back up. "Royce!" I called again as he started to drag me on the sidewalk. He was going to tear a hole in my jeans. Or through Nick's face.

I glanced up at my significant. He had been just fine until Royce had started to pull me along. Now, he was just as mad as my older brother. He had his fist on his chest, like he was trying to grab a hold of my heart. I could feel his heart beating, too, if I focused hard enough. He was only going to protect me, and that's exactly what Royce thought he was doing.

My breath constricted in my chest. Nick paused to take a look at me, Royce drawing closer. The events of the entire day caught up with me. It had been the most emotional day of my life. Or, at least, close to it. And right there, nearly sitting on the sidewalk while being pulled by my older brother, I burst into tears.

Everyone stopped. Royce stopped trying to move, dropping me effectively on the ground. Nolan was still standing at the end of the car, Chinese food bags in hand. Nick was the only one that moved. Royce was so shocked – I never cry in public. I hadn't even cried at my parents' funeral, only at home in my bedroom – that he didn't even try to stop Nick as he moved around the front of the car and brushed right past my brother. He dropped to his knees beside me and took my face in his hands. I sniffled loudly, and I was sure that I looked awful. I sure was doing a lot of crying of late, and I wasn't sure that I really liked it. Nick smoothed his thumbs over my cheeks, wiping away my tears.

Royce was suddenly in motion, grabbing the collar of Nick's shirt. I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck, being pulled up along with him. I doubted he liked being thrown around like he was. "Royce!" I screamed at my brother as he pulled Nick and me up. "God, stop it!" I managed to get my feet underneath me before launching in between Nick and Royce. My breath was heaving, Nick's hand splayed on my lower back, where my t-shirt had ridden up a little bit to show bare skin.

"Elsie," Royce huffed. "What do you think you're doing? You're going to regret messing around with this idiot." Nick's fingers dug into my back a little bit.

"I'm not going to regret it! Jesus, Royce. Paul and I _aren't_ together anymore! We broke up!"

Royce stopped. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, and then said, "When did this happen?"

"Does it even _matter_?" I demanded, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I could've sworn that I heard Nick's thoughts brushing up against my mind. He was pleased that I was standing up to my brother to protect him, but he was also worried that I was just going to alienate myself from my family. "The point is that you just assaulted my boyfriend!" There was another warm flush that came from Nick. He liked being called my boyfriend. And I'd be lying if I said that I didn't like it.

"Your _boyfriend_? When did _that_ happen?" Royce demanded.

"It's recent. Sorry you didn't get the memo yet." I shot sarcastically. "Apologize."

"Elsie, I'm sorry." Royce sounded honest and truly sincere. "I didn't know that you and Paul broke up, and you know I don't like you hanging around with guys I haven't met. What did you expect from me when we pulled up and you're fogging up the windows with some guy?"

"I meant to Nick," I said, keeping my face a solid mask.

Before Royce could even answer, Nick said, "It's cool, man. Honest mistake," He said it offhandedly, like he hadn't just been wrenched to his feet by the back of his shirt. Royce nodded. I opened my mouth to say that the little exchange between the two of them didn't count as an apology when I heard it. _Just drop it, Elsie_. It was Nick's voice, ringing clearly in my head. I took a deep breath and glanced over my shoulder at him. A tiny smile quirked at the edges of his lips.

All of us stood there in awkward silence for a moment before Nolan called out. "Chinese is going inside!" He headed up the steps and opened up the door, leaving it ajar. I could hear him as he set down the plastic bag in the kitchen. Royce ran a hand over the back of his neck. "I really am sorry." He said quietly. I was just about to say something to him when Nolan leaned out of the open doorway. "Yo! You want a fortune cookie, Elsie?"

I rolled my eyes and took Nick's hand. I pulled him down the sidewalk, pausing to put a hand on Royce's arm. It was as much as an acceptance as his apology had been an apology. He nodded and ran up the steps. "I guess not! More for me!" Nolan yelled out, his voice echoing in the neighborhood. I rolled my eyes and dragged Nick down to the stop sign.

"Where to?" I asked

Nick glanced over at me, a smile lighting up his entire face. "I've got a place that I want to show you."

# # #

Nick had led me to a garden. I didn't know if he did it on purpose or not, but I absolutely love flowers. It's something that I picked up from my mom, even if she hadn't been my biological mother. I took a deep breath, taking in the scent of summer flowers. "It's beautiful." I said, opening my eyes. The moon was high in the sky, lighting up the garden.

Nick's hand had remained in mine the entire way here. Before, he was guiding the way, the two of us sneaking down the sidewalks in the late evening. Now, I was pulling him behind me, exploring the garden. I used to want to start a huge garden in the backyard, but that was before my parents died. If I couldn't make it in songwriting, I'd wanted to be a horticulturist, and I'd even taken classes at the high school. But college wasn't an option for me because there was no way that we could afford it, even with student loans. By time I'd graduated, though, my dreams of raising plants had crashed into the ground and burned to ashes. But that didn't mean I didn't enjoy the flowers.

I found a bench in the midst of all the flowers. I sat down and pulled him onto the bench next to me. I pulled my knees up to my chest and leaned against him, our fingers woven together waffle-style. I raised my gaze to the moon. Nick leaned forward and kissed my cheek, his breath warm and making my hair tickle my cheek and the back of my neck. I smiled and leaned into him. I never would've thought that I would break up with Paul for someone else. I never would've thought that I would let myself be this… reckless.

"I knew you would like them." Nick whispered to me. "You just seem like a flower sort of girl." I laughed, a giggle that sounded sort of out of place, but it also seemed to fit right in. I took a deep breath.

"Well, you were right." I said, raising our intertwined hands. Nick looked at them too. I liked the feeling of his palm pressed against mine. Our hands seemed to fit together perfectly, like they were molded to fit. Nick leaned forward, pressing his forehead to mine. If I focused hard enough, I could get flashes of what he was thinking. It seemed like he was always thinking about me, the way I was always thinking about him. And more often than not, he was thinking about kissing me.

I smiled to myself, not sure if he could see me in the dark. I slowly pulled my hand away from his and touched the side of his neck. His breath caught, and I found myself smiling even more. I closed my eyes and moved in first, but Nick didn't let me hang for too long. His lips found mine.

I've had kisses in my past, but none of them compared to this. The entire world seemed to fall into shadow until it was just me and Nick. It was like an imprint, a cooling burn that stretched over my skin. My whole body tingled, like all of my limbs had fallen asleep, and now they were shaking with the rush of blood returning. And for the first time, it was like I could see into the crevices of Nick's mind. They were just flashes, pictures and snippets of sentences, but they were there.

My arms slid around his neck, tightening to pull him into me. One of his hands rested on my waist. He pressed me into the arm of the bench, the metal designs indenting themselves onto my back. My head was spinning. Nick had told me about this a little bit, that we would feel completely tied to one another. But Maggie had been the one that told me that I found feel such an intense love so quickly. And she'd told me that Nick would reciprocate it, times two.

I could feel our emotions wanting to control us. But I had never liked to be under control. It was _my_ decisions. I pulled back from Nick, and he let out a shaky breath. Our foreheads rested together, our breath mingling. I could smell the flowers, but overlaying that was the smell of _him_. There weren't really words to describe it. All I knew was that it was perfect, that I loved it, that it signified, in some weird way, _home_.

"I can't believe I didn't kiss you the moment we imprinted." Nick managed to say.

I laughed as he pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers trailed down my cheek. I could live off his touch alone and be happy for the rest of my life. "You were being a gentleman." I said jokingly.

Nick leaned back a little bit, his turquoise eyes focused wholeheartedly on mine. He seemed to be searching my face for something. _You're perfect, you know_. I heard his voice loud and clear in my head.

I decided to try and answer him back in the same fashion. _I have my flaws._

_But they're perfect._ He said back. I smiled and he leaned in for another kiss.

# # #

Nick and I walked back to my house, hand-in-hand, on the sidewalk. I loved to be able to just hang out with him. I'd never been able to just sit with Paul. We always had to be doing something or saying something. Nick and I were silent as we moved through the neighborhood. It was dark now, and I could tell that he didn't like us being out this late. Or more like it, he didn't like _me_ being out this late, but he figured he could take care of me for now.

We had just turned the corner on the sidewalk when bright lights turned on. It was a car that was parked at the curb. I'd thought that it was an empty car, but apparently someone had been sitting there, lying in wait. I was still halfway around the corner. Nick wrenched his hand from mine. I felt instant rejection, cold air filling in that warm place that he'd created.

The car door opened, and a few people climbed out of the car. I could see with the help of the streetlights and the car's headlights that they were all fairly tall, and all of them were dark-haired. _There's something wrong, Elsie. Pretend that we're just friends. And act confused if they say anything about Aces._

_What's this all about?_ I asked in my mind. It was weird to be able to talk to someone with my head, but it was a different level of intimacy. I never would've imagined that I could be in my boyfriend's head, but here I was, reading his thoughts and sending him my own. Nick didn't answer me, and I glanced over at him before turning back to squint into the headlights aimed at us.

"Another Jacobson," The voice was drawled out, like he was trying to be funny. "It looks like we just keep running into you guys." Whoever was with him laughed loudly. I bit down on my lip. I didn't like this, either. But Nick hadn't said anything more to me. My heart was pounding in my chest as the figures drew closer. I wanted to reach out to him, but Nick had warned me to pretend like I didn't know anything about the Aces. I assumed that was supposed to mean that I didn't know about the imprints, which meant that I wasn't imprinted with him. I had been fighting the notion for over a week, but now it hurt to pretend like Nick and I weren't connected.

"Marcus," Nick replied, his voice level. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Oh, we were just riding around. And then we saw you walking from the park with this girl." He wiggled his eyebrows at the two of us, and I tried not to react to him. "So, is she your significant? Did you imprint, too?" The words themselves were just questioning, but the tone he used said so much more. He practically spat the words. It was like he wanted to leap across the space that was between our two groups, wielding weapons to cut our throats.

I glanced at Nick, eyebrows furrowed together. "What is he talking about?" I whispered loudly. It was a stage whisper, and I really did my best to pretend that I'd accidentally just said it too loudly. I could feel Nick brush across my mind. He was so incredibly proud of me for taking the reins on this, for pretending that I was completely clueless.

Marcus laughed. "Are you meaning to tell me that you don't know?" He asked me.

"I'm sorry," I said, putting a hand on my hip. I was going to let my sarcastic side come out. In the past, it has gotten people riled up, but it's my best defense. Nick knew both factors, but he didn't say anything to me as I continued. "Though I think it's a good thing I don't know what you're talking about. That would be one step closer to the loony bin."

Marcus burst out laughing. "She's a spitfire, isn't she?" He said to no one in particular. He turned to look at Nick and said, "Much more interesting than Maggie, huh? She was too… _scared_." I forced myself not to leap to Maggie's defense. She had been a close friend through all of this, and I didn't want to hear anyone say anything bad about her. Once again, I got a flood of amazement and pride from Nick. I did my best to block it out.

"She doesn't know what you're talking about, Marcus." Nick said calmly. I pretended to be even more confused. I kept my mouth shut, though. The conversation was focused on me, but now I had the feeling that it would be better if I stayed quiet.

"So she's not your significant?" Marcus questioned.

"No." My heart lurched at hearing the words.

"So you're breaking your clan's rules?" Marcus continued.

Nick snorted. "You know as well as I do that those rules are stupid." He said offhandedly. "She's just a friend, Marcus. Now let us go."

"If she's just a friend, you won't mind if I do this," Marcus said, and then he reached out to grab me. Nick tried to step in front of me, and I immediately stepped back, but Marcus grabbed a hold of my arm. I tried to pull away, but that wasn't before I felt a burning on my arm. It was like Marcus's touch lit a fire on my skin, and it wasn't the warm and fuzzy type that Nick brought me. It hurt. It was painful. It was like an electrical current, zapping across my skin.

Marcus yanked back, and then he laughed, shaking out his hand. Nick launched himself across the empty space in between us. My heart pounded wildly in my chest as Nick and Marcus rolled on the ground. The two guys with Marcus looked up at me. I glanced down the street. Royce and Nolan were just a few houses down. With them, it would even up the playing field. But I couldn't draw my brothers into a fight between Ace families.

_Maggie!_ I called it out in my head, hoping that maybe she was open enough to hear me. It was weird to be talking to anyone that wasn't Nick, but she was the only option to us both getting out of here. _Maggie, it's Elsie. There's a guy named Marcus here on my street._ I sent her the address and hoped that she could get here before it got worse. Nick pounded Marcus's face with his fist, and one of the guys leapt into the fray. The last one pulled on gloves, flexing his fingers as if he was going to try and grab me. I was the type to verbally fight. When I was younger, I would've wrestled with my brothers, but that consisted of hair-pulling and name-calling. I _knew_ that I wasn't going to be able to hold my own against a guy.

I let out a high-pitched scream. Nick glanced up to look at me, and Marcus took the chance to land a punch to his face. I screamed again as my significant fought two other guys. The third one was still looking at me, as if he was trying to figure out the best way to attack me. My heart pounded in my chest. I felt like I was about to throw up. At least, until a car turned the corner, illuminating us with its headlights. My heart caught in my throat as the car squealed to a stop.

Caleb and Rodney climbed out. I could see Nick's father and Peter in there, too. Maggie was sitting in the back. It looked like Peter was keeping a close eye on Maggie while her significant and Rodney jumped into the fray. Rodney grabbed my arm, and I was half expecting to feel the burn that I'd felt when Marcus touched me. "Get in the car, Elsie." He said, giving me a gentle shove. I stumbled towards the car. Peter leaned out the door and grabbed my outstretched arm, pulling me into the vehicle. I closed my eyes and talked to Nick in my head, begging him to keep going, to stay safe. I didn't know if I was making it worse, but I continued anyway.

After another minute or so, the other car took off. I had my face buried in my hands, solely concentrated on talking to Nick. Maggie's hand rested on my back, but none of them spoke to me. The moment the car was gone, I stood up to move back out to the sidewalk, to Nick. Nobody stopped me as I clambered out of the seat. Rodney was facing Nick, his back to me. Caleb reached out to Maggie. I paused to watch them as Maggie's touch healed Caleb's busted lip. I swallowed nervously, wishing that I could do the same for Nick because I _knew_ he was hurt.

I ran around Rodney. He was tall, with his cowboy hat and plaid shirt on. I nearly shoved Rodney out of the way as I reached out to grab my significant. Nick looked up. His nose had a thin line of blood that trickled down over his lip. His lip was split, and there was a cut across his cheek. His jaw was already bruised. I grabbed onto his arm. "Oh, my God," I breathed. "Nick," I reached out to touch his uninjured cheek. He leaned into my hand, and I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his neck.

Nick held onto me tightly, his arms completely going around my waist. I liked the feel of him so close, but seeing him get in a fight scared me so much that he wasn't able to calm me down right away. It was just barely a brush of calm, not the full force that I needed or wanted. "I'm fine, Elsie." He whispered to me. "I'm fine," He let me go and stretched out my arm.

I gasped. There was a black handprint on my arm, fingers and palm defined. Nick laid his hand over the print, his fingers slightly longer. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said. I smoothed a thumb over his cut cheek, and he winced. "I wish I could heal you."

"It'll be okay. For now I'll just wear my marks of shame." He said it jokingly, but I could hear the serious tones underneath. He touched my face, his hand cupping my cheek. "We need to get you to my house. Gran will be there, she can take off the offense mark." He said.

"But it's late. What about my brothers?" I asked.

Nick shook his head. "Don't you have a friend you can say you're spending the night with?" He asked.

I sat there for a moment, and then shook my head. "Hanna will want to know what's going on, and I can't tell her."

"You can say that you're staying with me," Maggie offered. "Your brothers won't mind if you're spending the night with a girl, right?" She asked.

"They haven't met you," I said.

"Well, let me meet them right now. You're family, after all." Maggie said. She reached out for my hand and took me away from Nick. My heart panged in my chest as we walked down the sidewalk. Maggie handed me her jacket to hide the offense mark as we climbed the steps to my front door.

**I am just on a roll with the cliffhangers. I PROMISE I will be updating in the next few days. I just can't stay away from this story. (: **

**Leave me your thoughts by pressing that cute little review button. Thanks! Peace out (:**


	10. Chapter 10

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – I actually laughed out loud at that. (: Those Watsons. They have nothing better to do. Bahah (:**

**NOTE: Like I said before, our loveable characters haven't gone to London yet. I also want to point out that Sikes is not dead yet.**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

Royce glanced between me and Maggie. I could tell that he instantly liked Maggie. She _was_ beautiful, though, which I guessed explained it. Neither he nor Nolan questioned Maggie or my reason for spending the night with her on such a short notice. Maggie could persuade them to do whatever she wanted. She came with me to my bedroom, where I quickly packed a duffel bag. I wasn't sure how long I was going to be staying there. I figured Maggie could just talk Royce and Nolan into letting me stay for a while, if I needed to. I had the feeling that this whole thing with Marcus wasn't over. I didn't think Nick was going to let me out of sight.

I quickly shoved a few shirts and two pairs of jeans into my bag. Maggie didn't comment on my over-packing. She just looked around my room as I ransacked my closet. I grabbed my sleep shorts and several of my brothers' shirts. Maggie moved around my room silently. She would pick up a photograph, look at it for a moment, and then place it back exactly the way she had found it. I zipped up my bag and made sure I had my toothbrush and makeup.

"You ready?" She asked me.

I took a deep breath. Why did it feel like I was moving out or something? It was just supposed to be an overnight thing, but it felt like so much more. "Yeah, I think so." I hauled my bag up onto my shoulder, glancing around my room one last time before reaching for the door.

Maggie and I walked down the hall together. Nolan and Royce said goodbye, and I told them that I would be hanging out with Maggie all day tomorrow. They believed that just as readily as they had the story of me spending the night with her. I waved goodbye as I stepped out onto the porch steps. Maggie and I walked close to each other, neither of us saying a word. I would bet that she was just as nervous as I was walking around in the dark, though, especially after what had just happened.

We reached the car at the end of the drive. Nick's car was still in front of my house. He snuck down there to get it, and he drove it up behind the car that everyone else had driven up in. I tossed my duffel bag into the back of Nick's car and thanked Maggie, Caleb, and Peter for showing up to help. Apparently, they'd all been out to dinner at Mugly's, one of my favorite barbeque restaurants. Maggie had heard me and the group of them had rushed right over. Nick and I had been lucky.

I hugged Maggie and Caleb, and then promised Rodney that I would see him at the ranch house where he and Nick still lived with their parents when they weren't at college. He was going to go get Gran so that she could meet us at the ranch. Nick had told me that she was the only one who could heal offensive marks. Rodney hugged me hard, like he was really worried about me. I figured that maybe he would've been jealous that his little brother imprinted before he did, but Rodney treated me like I was already his sister. I really did like him.

I climbed into the car with Nick. We sat there, hands intertwined on the center console. He waited until the others had pulled away from the curb before turning to follow him. We bumped along in silence. We didn't even talk to each other in our minds. Instead, we just shared our feelings and pieces of our thoughts. Together, they mashed up into weird, half-formed sentences.

When we reached the ranch house, Rodney and Gran hadn't showed up yet. Nick grabbed my duffel bag out of the back while I opened my own door. It sort of seemed like he was angry with me, or like there were words that I should've said but couldn't bring to my lips. It made me nervous that Nick would decide that I wasn't worth protecting, that I was just a mistake. I stood at the front of the car while Nick slung my bag over his shoulder. He glanced up at me as I shuffled nervously. The ranch smelled like animals, but that was probably because of the horses. Nick had told me that his mother absolutely loved horses. I stared off towards the shadow of the stables, so intent on the building that I almost missed my significant's movements. Nick came around to the front of the car and lifted my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

"I'm not angry with you," He said, his voice low. "I'm angry that I couldn't protect you the way I wanted to. I didn't want Marcus to know that we imprinted, because the Watsons are known for making our lives harder. I just need to protect you." He whispered it in my ear, his breath making my hair tickle my cheek.

"You did," I replied, brushing my fingers over his cut cheek. He winced, letting out a warm breath. "There's no voodoo magic Gran can do to fix you?"

"She can only heal supernatural wounds. I got this from Marcus's fist." Nick replied. He adjusted the strap of my bag on his shoulder and leaned forward to kiss my forehead. I figured that had to hurt his split lip, but he didn't seem to mind much. "And Elsie, I don't think there are that many words for you to say."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Nick said, smiling. He took my hand and said, "Come on. You can see my room. It sure is more interesting than the stables." I laughed. I only knew about the ranch because of what Nick had told me. I'd never actually been here. I'd met his family at Caleb's house. My heart pounded in my chest as we neared the front door. Nick reached out and wrapped my hand in his.

The door opened before we even reached it. "Nick!" His mother rushed out of the house and down the path. She threw her arms around her son, nearly wrenching his hand away from mine in the process. She took a step back and fluttered over him anxiously. It was obvious that he was the youngest son by the way she was freaking out. And then she turned to me and wrapped me in a hug. "Are you two okay? Rodney called me on his way to pick up Gran," She explained.

"Mom, we're fine. I just… I need to talk to Elsie." He said, his hand tightening on mine. I couldn't read him because he'd thrown up his mental walls. I think that bothered me more than anything else. Why didn't he want me reading him?

Nick's mom touched my cheek. "Elsie, honey," She said softly, "I'm glad you chose Nick."

"_Mom_," Nick said, pulling me a little closer to him. "Please."

She gave me a smile, trying to silently convey her thanks to me. I didn't really understand what she was thanking me for. I'd just imprinted with her son. It wasn't my choice. But when I looked back, I was glad that I'd chosen him. Nick was perfect for me, and I was a little more open to thinking that I was perfect for him. I still smiled back at her, though, as Nick pulled me down the hall. His mother watched us, concern on her face as he pulled me down a long hall.

Nick pushed open his bedroom door. It was very simplistic – his bedspread was black and gray, his pillows all dark. His bedside table was bare. He had a bookcase stuffed with books. Everything was neat and clean, until I reached his desk. There, he had several containers of plants. I walked up to them and ran a finger along the container. It was clear, so the roots were visible. It looked like something that I had done for a science project in high school.

"You like plants?" I asked.

Nick tossed my duffel bag onto his bed. "There are still some things you don't know about me, _Elsie Meredith Gray_."

I turned to glare at him. "How did you know my name?" I demanded.

He shrugged. "I've been looking forward to digging around in your mind since the day I met you." He gave me a glaringly bright smile. I pulled at his desk chair and sat down, barely touching the leaves that grew out of the soil.

"You know, this isn't a very manly hobby." I teased.

Nick draped his arms over the back of the chair, his wrists crossing at my stomach. "I think it's perfectly fine. And agriculture is a very manly job. I could be a farmer. Or a landscaper. Or maybe I'll go be a doctor and create herbal medicines." He teased.

"You're going into architecture, remember?" I whispered. I could tell that he wasn't exactly excited about it. Maybe he could be one of those "green" architectures, the ones that designed houses off of the lay of the land. I pushed that thought towards him, and he leaned forward and kissed my temple. I closed my eyes, and he gave a low chuckle in my ear.

"I need to tell you something," He said on a sigh. I turned and looked at him, my lips right next to his.

"What?" I asked, immediately going tense. He pressed his hands to my arms, still leaning over my shoulder. He took away my panic and replaced it with warmth.

"I talked to Caleb and Peter when you and Maggie went to go grab your stuff." He said. "Marcus is a Watson. They're a rival clan. They hate the fact that us Jacobsons are getting our imprints back and they're not. They kidnapped Maggie to keep her and Caleb from ascending. They don't know about Kyle and Lynne. But now they know about you." I swallowed nervously, and he pressed his cheek to mine. "They have an echoling. He can channel dreams, and he can actually hurt you while you're sleeping. Your dreams become real. And, well… the only way to keep those dreams away is if we touch while we sleep."

"So what are you saying?" I asked, having a feeling that I knew perfectly well what he was saying. My whole body tingled at the idea of having him sleep on the other half of the bed. I was sure he knew that, too.

"I'm just saying that we need to sleep next to each other." He said. "I wasn't sure how you were going to react to that, seeing as you're so _independent_."

I kissed his cheek and smiled at him. "I guess it wouldn't be so bad." I teased. My eyes read his face. There was something else that he was keeping to himself, though, and it bothered me. "What else is there?"

"It's just… I would have to sleep next to you every night. I _want_ to sleep next to you every night. But your brothers wouldn't go for that. They wouldn't understand." He said. I sighed, because he was right. The only way was for me to sneak him in my window every night, and neither of my brothers were particularly the type to honor the fact that I had a door to my bedroom. They were the type that knocked briefly and started opening the door before I could answer. "So… I guess I'm asking you to move in with me." He said it so low that I wasn't sure I heard him at first.

"You want me to move in with you?" I asked.

Nick shrugged. "Here, yeah. Aces aren't particularly fond of significants moving in together before marriage, but in your case, it's based on your safety and survival. And honestly, it's my _parents_' house."

I laughed, but then I remembered that he was going to be going back to college when August rolled around. It was only a few months away – two, to be exact. What was I going to do then? I didn't have the money to go to college, and I wasn't sure that Royce and Nolan would let me move in with him after only a few months. I was downright certain that they wouldn't let me move out now. "What about college?" I asked.

"I have an apartment there. It's close to where Caleb is." He said. "Maggie's going to University of Tennessee with Caleb. I'm sure we can get you in, too." He whispered, "And then you can come live in my apartment with me."

"How would you get me in on such short notice?" I asked. "Besides, if your family already has Maggie in, wouldn't that be a lot to ask for me, too? And what about Lynne and Kyle?"

Nick shook his head. "Honestly, Elsie, I'm not sure." His eyes searched mine, and then he said, "Do you even want to go to college?"

I sat there for a moment. He moved around to lean against his desk. "I don't know," I said. "I mean, I always did, but now…." I shrugged. "Maybe I'm the type that needs to take a year or two off," I offered.

"That's fine," Nick said. "If that's what you want, it's perfect." He added.

I took a deep breath, eyes closed. Nick took hold of my chin, pulling me forward to meet him. Just as our lips touched and he deepened the kiss, there was a knock on the door. We didn't even have time to pull away before the door opened. Gran was standing in the doorway, looking halfway pleased at seeing us together and halfway peeved that we were hidden away in his room. I could tell that Gran was old-fashioned. She probably didn't like the idea of Nick and me sharing the same bed. Rodney stood behind her. He had a grin on his face, like he'd just caught the two of us being the most embarrassing things in the world.

"Well hello there, pretty-girl," Gran crooned.

I smiled at her. I really did like her. She was just so… personable. And it was obvious that she wasn't afraid to march to the beat of her own drum. I loved her for that. "Hi, Gran," I said back.

She patted my cheek and then reached over and patted Nick's shoulder. "You're a lucky young man," She told him seriously, giving me a sly wink on the side. I laughed out loud. "Well, let's get this mark off of you." She said. "Nick, go on over and hold her down."

"Hold me down?" I asked, my heartbeat spiking. I'd never been good with doctors. I hated needles, I hated medications, I hated the squeakiness of waiting room chairs. But most of all, I hated the idea of being trapped, strapped down somewhere so they could do tests on me.

"Calm down," Nick said, putting a hand on my arm. He leaned his forehead against mine, kissing my cheek.

"If Marcus went to touch you out of pure hatred or malice, you're going to have to relive his touch. If it was just to be an annoyance, then it won't hurt at all. But it seems like it might've been both, so it's just a precaution." Gran told me. She took my arm and stretched it out. She laid her fingers over the mark burned into my arm. Her eyes spun green for a moment, and it was shocking enough that I almost pulled away from her. Nick kept me in place, though, one strong arm wrapped around my waist, drawing me into him. In my mind, the entire scene where Marcus had reached out to me went in rewind, a tiny bit of burning pain on my arm. It wasn't bad, but it was enough to make me gasp.

"There you go," Gran said, clapping her hands together like she'd just completed a feat. To me, it definitely seemed so. Nick brushed a lock of hair over my ear. "Now you get some sleep, pretty-girl. And don't let _him_ bother you." She laughed loudly and patted her grandson on the shoulder. I heard her say goodbye to Nick's parents, since Rodney was going to drive her back home.

I sighed and leaned against Nick. He kissed my forehead and motioned for me to take a spot on the bed. I climbed onto it, stretching out and kicking off my shoes. Nick lay down next to me, his hand encasing mine. We laid there for a little while, looking up at the blank ceiling and talking like we always did, sharing little pieces of ourselves.

Eventually, it was late enough that I was so tired I was fighting to stay awake. I went to change in the bathroom while Nick stayed in his room. When I returned, he was pulling back the sheets on his bed. I gave him a smile, and he reached out to grab me. "You know, you're really hot." He said.

I laughed. "Thanks. You're hot, too." I told him. Nick chuckled into my neck. I climbed into my side of the bed, and Nick climbed in next to me. I turned to face him, immediately cuddling up to his side. Cuddling he could jerk his videogame controller. Nick, though, laughed and drew me closer, resting his chin on the top of my head. All I could smell was him, and I really, really liked it. I sighed, and Nick did the same.

"Goodnight, Nick," I said in a low whisper.

"Night, Elsie." He replied. He chuckled again as I snuggled up into his side, trying to get comfortable. I ended up pressed right to his side. I figured that I should've felt trapped, but I didn't. It was like I finally found the place where I should've belonged. I didn't have to fight for this place. I didn't have to worry about how long I would hold it. It was mine forever, because _he_ was mine.

I finally found someone that was perfect. For me.

**Okay, so it's a short chapter, but I really wanted to put something out on leap day. Call me a weirdo. (:**

**AND I wanted to give you readers a leap day gift! So yay, two chapters in a row!**

**Plus, if anyone knows Rodney's parents' names, that would be helpful. Otherwise, I might just make up some names. Lol (:**

**Leave me a review! Peace (:**


	11. Chapter 11

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – I love Nick, too! He's like, the perfect boyfriend. Lol (: And as for names… thanks. Any name suggestions? Haha. And as for updating… I just can't stay away from this series! And I know that total annoyance of people not updating for months on end. Now that really sucks.**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I woke up with a content sigh. It was the way people wake up in all those commercials for sleeping medication or something. I didn't have to yawn or stretch and I didn't have that overwhelming need to just lay there for ten more minutes. But just because I didn't have the tired want to stay where I was didn't mean that I wanted to get up. It was so warm and comforting. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, and then remembered what all had happened.

I wasn't at home, hugging my own pillow. I was right next to my significant. I suddenly realized that I was snuggled right up into his side, having hardly moved throughout the night. One of my legs was tucked under his; one of his arms was draped over my side, pulling me close. My face was buried into his chest. I tilted my face to get a better look at him. He was looking down at me with a smile. He gave a low chuckle when our eyes met, his arms tightening around me briefly.

"Good morning, Elsie," He said quietly.

"Good morning," I said before remembering that I probably had morning breath. I brought a hand up to cover my mouth, but Nick quickly kissed me. I couldn't help but smile against his lips. He pulled away first, giving me one of his winning smiles. I tried to untangle myself from him, but he just pulled me closer to him.

"Stay," He said. "How did you sleep?"

"Really good, actually," I said back, twisting around so my head rested on his chest. He played with my hair, twisting the strands around his fingers.

"I heard it's like that. When we ascend, we'll basically heal each other in our sleep. But for now we just… anchor each other. No dreams, but we're extremely well-rested when we wake up." He said quietly. "Basically, we're always better when we're together."

"That rhymed," I teased, glancing up at him. Nick smiled back at me. I sat up so I could change and brush my teeth. Nick reached out and touched my neck. When I turned to look at him, he took hold of my chin and pulled me to him. He kissed me, pressing his lips hard to mine. He deepened the kiss, and for a moment I couldn't find the strength to pull away from him. Our breathing wasn't exactly stable. He smiled at me and brushed my hair behind my ear, goose bumps trailing down my arms and spine. "I know we're better together, now." I told him quietly. He grinned like I'd just given him a prize. "I've got to get dressed," I said. I wished that I could take a shower.

"You can take a shower in the bathroom." Nick said, reading the thought from my mind. "There are towels in the cabinet." He added.

I flashed him a grin. I never would've thought that I would like someone in my head, but it was... well, it was perfect. I never would've thought that I would care about someone so much. I tried to block my thoughts from him as I pulled my duffel bag up onto the bed. I dug through my clothes, folding them up and holding them to my chest. Nick picked up his phone off his bedside table and flicked his thumb over it. I walked right past him, heading straight for the bathroom. I could hear somebody in the kitchen, but I didn't bother to call out or see who it was.

I turned the shower on hot, planning to take the least amount of time possible. I didn't know if Nick's house had a shortage of hot water, and I didn't want to be the one to use it all if it did. By time I got out, though, the mirror had fogged over and my skin was warm to the touch. I quickly changed and wrapped up my wet hair, pulling open the bathroom door after glancing at myself in the mirror. It was funny how I'd wanted to impress Nick a few days ago, but now I didn't care if he saw me without makeup. Someone had once told me that meant that you were in love, or that, at least, you were comfortable in your relationship. Was I in love with Nick? I wasn't really for sure. I mean, it was a huge possibility. But I was contemplating the idea of moving in with him. I wasn't sure if that was for me to just be close to him or if I really did want to be with him. I was starting to think that it was more the latter than the former. And that warmed my heart.

I nearly screeched when I opened the door. Rodney was standing there, hand fisted and raised, as if he were about to knock on the door. Nick was suddenly scrambling into the hallway. My suddenly alleviated heartbeat must've scared him. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw me, and then gave his older brother a dirty look.

"Sorry, Elsie," Rodney said. "Didn't mean to uh, scare you," He added, making a face at his brother.

"It's fine." I said, giving a short laugh. I put a hand to my head, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that he'd caught me with no makeup on and my hair tied up. I wasn't bothered by the idea of Nick seeing me, but I was bothered by the idea of Rodney seeing me.

"You're beautiful," Nick said. Rodney glanced at him, and then back at me. He gave me a smile, but I could tell that his eyes were sort of sad. He wanted what his brother had. I didn't know if he just wanted to be able to ascend, or if he really did want to have someone he was in love with. I had a feeling that it was a little bit of both. Nick had explained it to me – if an Ace didn't imprint with someone, they didn't ascend. And their whole lives were set on ascending. Without it… they didn't feel that they could consider themselves Aces. For the last few years, Rodney was getting worried about not imprinting in his early twenties, like Aces were supposed to. Now that there were three couples that imprinted earlier, he was worried that he'd missed his chance years ago.

I put a hand on Rodney's arm, wishing that I could find some way to tell him that there was a girl out there for him. He gave me another gentlemanly smile and motioned for me to go ahead of him. I stepped out of the bathroom doorway, and he stepped in. As the door closed behind us, Nick leaned over and said, "I know he's worried about not finding his soul mate, but… I think she's out there for him. Somewhere."

I nodded, hair nearly tumbling out of the quick twist I'd put it up in. "He's bound to. If the imprints are coming back, maybe they'll get everyone that they missed."

"I don't know if it will work like that, but we'll see." He replied. He leaned over and kissed my temple. "My mom has a blow dryer she'll probably let you borrow. And then maybe I'll take you out to the stables."

"Ooh, the stables," I repeated. I flashed him a smile. I'd lived in Tennessee my whole life. It wasn't as western-associated like Texas was, but Nashville was the home of country music. I'd never even been _close_ to a horse. But, like most little girls, I'd had an obsession with the when I was about seven. I'd always wanted a horse, but it was never really a possibility. I lived in the suburbs, and my mom had been allergic to dander, so I'd never even had a cat or a dog. I was sure that Nick could feel my excitement about going to the stables.

"You'll love them," He said in a low voice. He took my hand and led me to his bedroom. He went to retrieve a brush and a blow dryer from his mother while I straightened up. I pulled the comforter up and tucked it under his pillows. I stuffed my clothes back into my duffel bag, leaving it on the end of his bed. He returned a moment later and tossed them onto the bed. "Hey, you made the bed. I don't think that bed's been made for years now." He gave me a quick kiss and went to his closet, pulling the doors open. I picked up the brush and pulled it through my hair as he pulled his shirt over his head. I tried not to stare at him, but I couldn't help but notice the way the muscles on his back moved as he dug around in his closet for a clean shirt.

I pulled the blow dryer into the plug by his desk and flipped my hair over to dry the underside. I also found that it gave my hair so much volume, even if it only lasted for a short while. I brushed through my hair while Nick finished changing, and then I sat on the edge of his desk and balanced my compact mirror on my knees so I could put on my makeup, since Rodney was still in the bathroom. I carefully lined my eyes with a brown pencil and brushed mascara over my eyelashes. I even smoothed some Chapstick on.

I was so focused on my compact that I didn't even notice Nick walking up to me. He reached out and closed the compact mirror. "You're beautiful," He said quietly, threading his fingers through my hair.

I gave him a smile. "You're pretty handsome yourself," I said, tossing the mirror into my duffel bag. I collected the hairbrush and blow dryer, and together we walked down the hallway. He went to put his mom's hair care products back in her bathroom while I lingered in the living room. Nick's mom had photographs set up all along her mantle. They seemed to be in basic chronological order, starting from the left. The first picture was of Nick's parents, his mom wearing a red dress and his dad wearing a dress shirt and slacks. It slowly moved on, showing Rodney as a baby, then Nick, and then the two of them growing up together.

One of Nick's middle school photos sat on the mantle. He had braces, his hair a little disheveled, his eyes looking past the camera, a little to the side. He didn't look like he was paying the least bit of attention to the fact that his picture was going to be in the yearbook, or that he would look a little ADD a few years down the road. I ran my finger over the frame, smoothing a thumb over his metal-mouthed smile. His hands were suddenly on my hips, drawing me closer to him. I didn't even look over at him, but I could feel his breath, warm on my neck. His arms slowly slid around me, my back pressed against his chest. "Don't hold it against me," He said.

"You look cute," I said back. "You should've seen my picture. I looked absolutely horrible."

"I'm sure you didn't," He said. "And I'm holding you to it. I expect to see your middle school pictures."

I laughed, turning to face him. He barely loosened his grip on me so I could move around. Someone cleared their throat behind him. I nearly sprang away from him, but Nick didn't seem bothered in the least. His mom was smiling so widely that it was almost kind of scary. The ways Aces acted about imprints was just so… strange. Nick smoothed his thumb over my half star, reminding me that I was an Ace, too. "Come eat breakfast."

Nick and I sat down at a table that was already filled with several different types of pancakes. I scooped some chocolate chip ones onto my plate and doused them with syrup. Nick ate twice as many as I did. We both complimented her on a good breakfast. Rodney walked in when we were almost done eating. He slid in on my other side and loaded his plate with pancakes.

"Mom, I think I'm going to take Elsie to the stables." Nick said when he'd finished. I'd been done for a while. I'd been quietly sipping the orange juice that Nick's mom had poured me.

"That's a great idea!" She said. "You two should go out for a ride, too." She said.

"Maybe," Nick replied, shoving his last bite into his mouth. He wiped his mouth on his napkin and downed the rest of his orange juice. He drank the last of mine, too. His mom made a face at him as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out the front door.

It was sort of a walk to the stables. I didn't know what the awkward placement was for, but it was nice. Nick held my hand in his, and we swung our arms back and forth as we walked. I looked at the ground, focusing on not tripping or stepping in a pile of dung. We didn't say a word to each other, but that was fine. I liked the feel of his hand on mine as he led me to the stables.

It smelled like animal and hay. It wasn't an altogether bad smell, but it was no apple pie scent, either. Nick chuckled and let go of my hand as he pointed towards the first pen. Heavy wooden doors came up to my chest and continued all down the wall. The other half of the wall was a series of tall iron bars. "This is mom's newest. It's a Clydesdale," Nick said. I leaned against the bars and looked at the horse. It was huge, each one of its hooves had to be bigger than my head. Nick pointed to the next one. "This is the one dad bought mom on their tenth anniversary." He motioned towards a tall, thin horse. Its head swung towards us, and I took an unconscious step back. Nick laughed and put his hand on the bars. "He's perfectly fine."

I put my hand on the bars next to Nick's. The horse's soft nose touched my palm between the bars, his lips moving as if I had something to offer him and he was searching for it. "Sorry, I don't have anything." I told him. The horse gave a short whine back, and I couldn't help but think that maybe it understood me. Nick was silent as I cooed to the horse, probably sounding like an idiot.

"I'll be right back," He said, stepping away from me. It seemed that we only had to release each other when the other was going a particularly long distance away. I nodded to let him know that I'd heard him. I stayed right where I was, talking to the horse. I really liked this one. He didn't seem scary in the least. The horse sniffed and glanced away to pick up some hay, and then returned to me, his jaw moving as he chewed.

After a good five minutes, Nick still hadn't returned. He'd walked to the opposite end of the stable. I was pretty sure that he'd gone into one of the rooms at the far end. I said a whispered goodbye to the horse that I'd bonded with and stepped down the narrow hall. There were horses on either side, making noise as I walked past. They all seemed huge to me, so I stayed in the middle, just for my own comfort.

When I reached the far end of the stables, I turned to the left. It looked like some sort of equipment room. The lights were on, but I could see that it led into what looked to be another small room. I didn't see Nick from the hall, so I stepped in, thinking that maybe he was in the back room.

I barely refrained from squealing as an arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me against the wall. With my back flat against the wall, Nick leaned forward and kissed me. I leaned against him, one of his hands on the wall by my head to brace himself. He deepened the kiss, his other hand on my chin, pulling me forward. I went willingly. All the questions that had been swirling around in my mind – did I love him? Was I willing to fight against my brothers to move in with him? Was I going to marry him one day? – all of them seemed to be answered in those few minutes. _Yes_, I loved him with all my heart. _Yes_ I was willing to fight against my brothers for him. Just the idea of moving in with him was enough to thaw out that little piece of me that I'd always kept hidden from other people. And _yes_, I wanted to marry him someday.

One of my hands fisted the front of his shirt, trying to pull him as close to me as I could. Eventually, we had to break off the kiss to breathe. He rested his forehead against mine and let out a heavy sigh. "God, Elsie, I love you." My heart leapt in my throat. He'd never told me he loved me. It was sort of like we'd just assumed it, and I knew it all along, but to actually _hear_ it was something different.

"I love you," I replied back. The words weren't new to me. I'd spoken them to a good sized group of people. I'd loved my parents, my brothers, and Hanna. In a weird twisted way, I'd even loved Paul. But I'd never been _in_ love with someone before, not as strongly as I was with Nick. In that very moment, I could see all those visions I'd had of him and me together coming true. We _belonged_ together, and the only person who had been standing in the way of that had been me.

Nick kissed me again, his hand on my neck. I pulled back to breath, and he leaned forward to kiss under my jaw. My arms went around him, and he held me close. "I think we should postpone the riding lesson," I told him.

"Why's that?" He asked, his voice low and sort of breathy in my ear.

"I've got to figure out how to tell my brothers that I'm moving out." Instead of answering, he just kissed me again.

# # #

I theorized that it would best be done like a Band-Aid. Just one quick yank to rip it off. I couldn't try to sweet talk my way into the confession, because Royce would know something was up. And I couldn't try to joke about it, because it would either make them mad or confuse them all the more. Nick wanted to be there, at my side, but I figured that would be a bad idea. While my brothers had accepted that Nick and I were dating, I wasn't sure how they would feel about me moving out to live with him. I couldn't just tell him that I was moving out, because he would want to know who with and where I was living, and there was no point in continually lying to him.

I was worried that Royce would want to pound Nick into the sidewalk and accuse him of brainwashing me or something. I wouldn't put it past him. He was _that_ protective of me. I was thinking about what he would say, and he would be right. We were moving fast. In just a few days, I was planning to move in with him and, in the future, marry him. Royce would be livid. And then there would be everyone else. Hanna would be blown away, but she'd probably be excited about it. She might even tell me that I was finally acting like a real teenage girl. Paul would be furious, since I'd told him that I wasn't sure if I was breaking up with him for Nick or not. It was pretty obvious that I had been lying now. I could practically picture his mom telling all of her friends, and then her friends spreading it to their friends and their daughters. It would be _awful_, since I still saw some of my graduating class around town, as well as some of the underclassmen.

Nick put a hand on the back of my neck, his fingers massaging the muscles there. I dipped my chin forward, accepting the wave of calm he gave me. "You can change your mind, you know." He told me. I glanced up at him and smiled. It didn't really matter if I wanted to change my mind. I _wanted_ to be with him, but other than that, I _needed_ to be with him. I needed his touch to survive, and now I needed his touch to be safe at night. It seemed like the only logical answer, and it was one that I actually liked.

"I'll be fine," I told him. "I want to. And technically, I'm going to have to eventually. When you go back to school, I can't hang around here. And I can't lie to them and tell them I'm taking classes there. I might as well just admit that I'm moving in with my boyfriend and let them pout about it." I said.

"Well, if it helps, in the Ace world we're something special. Usually, newly imprinted couples are married by this time." My jaw dropped, and he gave me a smile. "I think Caleb and Maggie and you and me are the only ones who are trying to date before marriage. And it only took like, a month for Caleb to propose to Maggie." He said. "When we imprint, it's like immediate acceptance."

"Has it always been like that?" I asked.

"As far as I know, yes," Nick replied. His car rolled to a stop by the curb in front of my house. I looked up at it, thinking that it wasn't going to be my house for much longer. I figured that I could go on in and start packing up some stuff so I could leave as soon as I broke the news to Royce, just in case he was more upset than I thought he would be. "Think about it, Elsie. When you imprint, you get an instant love. It's pretty much impossible to turn away from an imprint. It's never been done before." He shrugged, knocking his shoulder against mine.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I said. I glanced at the house.

"You know, you can still wait."

"Nick, I don't know if it helps that you keep offering little getaways. It needs to be done, so I might as well get it done." Nick turned off the car and I pushed open my door. He did the same, since he'd one the quick battle for if he was going to come in with me or not. It had never really been a battle, because Nick had told me that significants weren't meant to fight. It kept us in nearly perfect agreement all the time. It sort of reminded me of the way that I'd forced a happiness with Paul I didn't have to force it with Nick, because he offered it.

I'd left my duffel bag at Nick's house. I still had to carry on the façade that I'd spent the night with Maggie. My brothers were going to be mad when I said that I was moving in with Nick, but I figured that I would be able to lie and say that I was staying in a separate bedroom. It would be easier for them to swallow that than to realize that I needed to sleep by his side for my own protection, because I was some sort of supernatural person as compared to the normal person I'd been for the last eighteen years who had imprinted with my soul mate.

Together, we headed up to the front door. I grabbed his hand as we reached the top step. "I love you," I whispered to him. I leaned in to kiss him. His arms immediately went to my waist, squeezing me close to him. The front door opened after just a moment, and Royce was standing on the other side.

"I thought you were hanging out with your friend. Maggie." He said, his brows furrowed together as he watched the two of us.

"I am. I just needed something, and since Maggie had driven me over there and Nick and Caleb were doing something today. He offered to drive me here to pick up my stuff."

"What are you getting?" Royce asked.

"Several things," I replied honestly. I took Nick's hand and pulled him down the hallway.

"Where do you think you're going?" Royce called after me. Nolan was leaning out of the kitchen door, watching everything go down. He gave me a very serious look, followed by a wink. Nolan was protective of me, but he didn't try to control every aspect of my life like Royce did.

"My bedroom," I said. Royce opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off, "Jesus, Royce, I'll leave the door open and everything."

Thirty minutes later, and I'd pulled out one of the large suitcases that had been in the hall closet. I sent Nick to go get the other, smaller one as I folded the last of the clothes I wore a lot into the large suitcases. I wanted to fit a few trinkets into the smaller ones, so I could bring a little piece of home with me. Nick had told me to bring as many things as I wanted, because he figured that he could handle a little more clutter to his already immaculate bedroom. I laughed as I tucked a picture of my family into the smaller bag, followed by my toiletries and makeup. I tossed in my blow dryer and my hairbrush and anything else that I figured could be of use.

I sighed when I finished packing. Nick's knuckles brushed across my cheek. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I told him. He gave me a smile and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. I stepped out of my room with him in tow. I could hear my brothers talking in the kitchen, though I couldn't make out what they were saying. I peered in the open doorway to see if they were in a relatively good mood. Nolan was stuffing a store-bought donut into his mouth, and Royce had a plate of pigs-in-a-blankets in front of him. They were probably in as good of a mood as they could be in.

"Hey, guys," I said. "I have something we need to talk about."

**I'm on a roll with these cliffhangers lately. I promise that I'll be updating in the next few days' time, but I've got some pretty important tests coming up, so it might be a little while later. Even when I'm studying, though, I'll be thinking about this and wishing I was updating instead. Haha. (:**

**Leave me a review! Peace (:**


	12. Chapter 12

**SURPRISE! I've decided to spend my time with this intense chapter instead of doing my homework. You should all thank me. Haha (:**

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – Hmm… paranoia isn't always a bad thing. And as always, an interesting story has its ups and downs. I intend to give Elsie and Nick their fair share of bad days (don't hate me.) As for names, I really liked Alexandra and Daniel! Thanks (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

"No."

"But –"

"I said _no_, Elsie." Royce shook his head at me. "When did you become so dense?" He demanded, throwing his crumpled paper towel down on the table. Nolan, like he always was when it came to Elsie-Royce arguments, stayed silent. He liked to claim that he was completely objective. I highly doubted that he was claiming to be on no one's side this time around, yet he still didn't say a word.

"When did you think you could decide what I can and can't do?" I shot back. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm eighteen. I'm legally allowed to live wherever I want!" I was getting extremely annoyed with my brother. I'd always prided myself on being a woman that could fend for herself. I could make educated decisions on my own. It sort of felt like Royce was trying to take that right away from me.

Royce had left Nick out of the argument so far, but it didn't take him long to turn to my significant. "What did you say to her?" He demanded sharply, standing up from the table. He hit the edge of it, making the whole thing shudder. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, but I had the feeling that he wouldn't hesitate to start swinging them. I sidestepped in front of Nick, thinking that he would have to go through me first, and Royce, no matter how angry he was, would never hit me. Nick put a protective hand on my waist, and that seemed to set Royce off. He stepped forward menacingly.

"Royce!" I called out, reaching for his arm. "He didn't say anything to me, Jesus!" I stepped back against Nick, pushing him into fridge behind me. Nick grunted from being pushed back against the wall, but he quickly regained his balance.

"What did you say to her to completely _brainwash_ her?" Royce demanded. He was practically pushing both Nick and me against the fridge. He pointed his finger at Nick, who towered over me. I tightened on hand on Nick's wrist, fingernails digging into his skin. I reached out and slapped Royce's other hand away.

"I'm not _brainwashed_, you idiot." I told him brashly. Royce's eyebrows were still drawn together as he heaved with his anger. "Why is it such a shock to you that I would try to find someone I cared about? Did you think that I was going to stand here and take care of you and Nolan for all eternity?"

"Don't even go there, Elsie. I gave up _everything_ I had to come home and make sure you and Nolan were okay." I knew that was true, but I still didn't appreciate him playing like he was my father. Royce had the protectiveness, but he didn't have the understanding. As far as I knew, Royce had never really been in love the way I was with Nick. He was completely clueless.

"I know you did. But I clean the house and I do the laundry and I cook food most of the time!"

"You've known him for what, a few days? You've been dating him for how long?" Royce demanded. He'd moved off the topic of me staying around the house because he knew I was right. And I had openly agreed to him being right about him coming home. But that was in the past. Nolan and I were old enough that we could take care of ourselves, now.

"Does that really matter?" I asked.

"Of course it does! If you've only been with him for a little while, how do you know who he is?" Royce asked. "He could be some sort of serial killer or something!" His voice was slowly getting louder as he spoke.

"I know him better than anyone," I shot back defensively. And it was true. Nick was _mine_. Everything that he was belonged to _me_.

"How do you know for sure? And Elsie, think about it! You're moving in with him and you're only eighteen. And I have the feeling that you've only known the guy for a little while!" Royce yelled. He moved forward again, and Nolan was suddenly standing up. He reached out and grabbed a hold of Royce's arm. Nolan wasn't as big as Royce, but he was well-muscled from lifting weights and working on cars.

"I _love_ him!" I yelled out. My eyes immediately started watering. Nick's hand tightened on my hip, but I was too worked up for his touch to work its magic. Nolan stared at me, his hand going slack on Royce's wrist. Royce pretty much froze. His eyes were wide as he stared at me. He took a step back and wiped his hand on his forehead.

"Elsie," Royce said, shaking his head. "Do you even know what love is? Look at your relationship with Paul. You told him that you loved him."

Nick tensed behind me. He probably didn't like being reminded that I'd had a boyfriend when we'd met. He probably hated the fact that I'd still considered myself Paul's girlfriend for a week after we'd imprinted. I shook my head. "I did love Paul. But I loved him like I love you and Nolan. I loved him like he was my brother. But Nick… I can't imagine my life without Nick." Tears raked down my cheeks, and Nick's hand touched my elbow. Royce's eyes followed my significant's gentle touch. "I want nothing more than to be with him."

Nolan flicked on the sink and washed out his cup. Royce rubbed his eyes with his fists. "What about you, huh, kid?" He said to Nick. He glanced at me, and then reached out and took my wrist. Immediately, Nick latched onto my other hand. Royce glared at him and gave me a gentle pull. He sent me in the general direction of Nolan, and said, "Let me talk to you. In private."

Nick glanced at me and tapped his forehead. He wanted me to open my mind to him, just like he would to me. That way I could keep tabs on him while he was with Royce, and he could look after me. Nick and Royce stepped outside, and my heart thumped in my chest. I leaned against the counter and waited, my eyes staring down at the little speckles on the countertop. I heard Royce ask Nick what he was thinking, and how he felt about me. He told Nick that he should just be honest, because if he didn't have those feelings for me, then the two of them could smooth things out for me.

Nick shook his head. His voice practically echoed in my head. "Royce, man… Elsie is the most perfect thing that's ever happened to me. I love her." He said. Royce asked him another question, and he said, "I'm going to college, and I want her by my side. I've never wanted anyone next to me but her." Nick took a deep breath. "I asked her to move in with me, because I love her more than anything. I would die for her. It's like she's constantly with me." I had to stifle a giggle, because it was so true. He had my heartbeat in his chest. "But it's not the same as having her right next to my physically. And I know it seems sudden, but… I'd like to make her my wife one day."

Royce was silent. I could see him the way Nick saw him. It was weird because I was closer to eye-level with my brother, who'd shot up when we were younger and who I'd never even come close to being the same height as. Finally, he said, "I think you need to wait a little longer before you go proposing to her." He shook his head. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but fine. We'll see how well this works out. She better have her own bedroom away from _yours_." He said sharply.

"Dude, it's my parents' house. At least until I go back to school."

Royce shook his head again. "My parents would kill me." He said it quietly, but I still heard it through Nick's ears. Nick opened his mouth to say something, but I was drawn away by a hand on my arm. I glanced up from the countertop, immediately severing my connection with Nick.

It was Nolan. "Elsie, are you sure about this?"

"I love him, Nolan. I've never wanted to be with anyone else."

Nolan gave me a smile. "Look at you, all grown up." He laughed and hugged me as the front door opened. My brother and my significant stepped inside, and I nearly ran to get to them. I wasn't sure what happened after that, but I didn't think Royce had given him a beat down. Still, I catapulted myself out into the hallway and into Nick's arms. He caught me, his arms holding me tight as I kissed his cheek.

Royce watched from behind Nick as he set me down gently. He touched his cheek with the back of his hand, and Royce cleared his throat. "Fine, Elsie. You can move in with him. But if there are _any_ problems, any at all, it's okay to come back. It's okay to admit that moving in with him wasn't the best idea." I could tell that Royce was practically begging me to change my mind. I hugged my brother, and told him that I wouldn't be moving back in, no matter how much he wanted me to.

Royce just laughed, although it was clearly forced. I hugged Nolan and Nick and I went to grab my bags. My brothers were blown away by the fact that I already had my stuff ready to go. I promised them that I would be in touch, and then Nick and I climbed into his car and left.

I turned in my seat to look at the house as we were leaving. It had been my home for eighteen years, and now I was moving out. Nick's home was my home, now. It didn't matter if we were living in a cave or in a tree. _He_ was my home.

# # #

Nick's mom, Alexandra, had been extremely excited the moment Nick and I stepped into the house. He'd insisted on carrying my suitcases inside, but I'd managed to at least keep a hold of the smaller one. Alexandra grabbed my hands and kissed both cheeks. "Oh, it's so good to have you with us." She crooned. "Daniel will be so pleased." She said. "And don't worry about a thing, dear. We're family."

I thanked her as Nick and I made our way down the hall. He put my suitcase onto my bed and motioned towards the closet. "If you want, you can unpack your clothes."

"Or I could live out of my suitcase for the next few months." I teased. "Since I'll be packing up again to move to an apartment just outside the University of Tennessee in August." I told him. Nick smiled and leaned forward to kiss me quickly on the lips.

"Or you could unpack, so I really feel like you live here with me and you're not just playing sleepover." He said. He leaned forward and rubbed his nose against mine. It was brief, and no one had ever done that to me before, but it was so perfect. I let out a sigh, and Nick gave me a smile. "Go on, go ahead." He motioned for me to unzip my bag. "I'll get a dresser in here so you can unpack some of your other stuff that won't fit in the closet."

"Thanks," I said, turning to look away from him. He gave me a kiss on the side of my neck and went to find me a dresser. I opened my smaller suitcase and turned to the bookcase. It had a few books, but some of them were textbooks, and some of them looked like they wouldn't ever be read again. I dispersed my photographs there, along with a few of the small stuffed animals that I'd absolutely cherished.

It only took a few minutes for Nick and Rodney to pull a dresser into the room. I laughed as they struggled to fit it in the doorway. Finally, they'd managed to fit it into the room. It ended up being just in front of the door, so that when it was opened it was only a mere inch away from touching the furniture. Nick and Rodney wanted to go ride horses and race like they used to. I gave him a quick kiss and willed him to go. Besides, I figured that it was time that I called Hanna and let her know that I'd moved out.

I wanted to be able to take a nap, but it would've been dangerous without Nick there to keep away the echoes. Instead, I just pulled back the covers on his – our – bed and climbed in with a book and my cell phone. I needed to formulate what I was going to tell Hanna before I actually told her. I pulled the covers up to my chest.

Just as I was trying to figure out what to say to Hanna, my phone rang. Sometimes I thought she had some sort of telepathy to me, because she always knew what I was thinking or when I needed to talk to her. I could always depend on her to call whenever something was going on in my life. I was surprised that she hadn't already called because of Paul, but when I looked back on it… I'd only really been dating Nick for a day, though I'd been imprinted with him for nearly two weeks.

"Han?" I answered the phone.

"Good God, Elsie. I thought you'd fallen off the face of the earth or something. I was about to come over to your house and booby trap your bedroom."

Hanna, whether she knew it or not, had just given me the perfect way to drop the bomb. "Well it's a good thing you didn't, because I don't live there anymore." I said.

"_What_?" Hanna sounded incredulous. "Did you guys put your house up on the market and get it sold in a day or something?"

"No, I moved out." I told her, running my hand over the cover of my book.

"Oh, my God. You got an apartment? I'm going to be _so_ offended if you got a roommate, because remember when we were in ninth grade and we made our five-year plan and I _told_ you that we needed to get an apartment together after high school?"

"Now that you mention it, I do remember. But no, I'm not in an apartment. And I guess you could say that I have a roommate."

There was a pause and then Hanna said, "I hate you." She laughed as she said it, and then said, "So who is it?"

"My boyfriend," I said.

"Whoa, hold up. First of all, you moved in with a _guy_? I bet Royce wanted to kill you for that. And second of all, you moved in with _Paul_?"

"Nope. I moved in with my _boyfriend_."

"Holy _freaking_ cow, Elsie! Are you telling me that you broke up with Paul and landed a new guy already? And you're telling me that you moved in with him?"

"Yes and yes."

"Are you insane? You're acting like me!" She laughed. "So, what's so good about this guy that it made you want to move in with him?"

"I love him," I told her.

"Holy. Cow." She breathed. "So how long have you been dating him?"

"Officially? Not long. I sort of… well, I sort of fell in love with him while I was still dating Paul."

"_No_." Hanna said, sounding so excited. "I'm so excited! How come you never told me?" Her voice changed from one filled with enthusiasm to one that accusing.

"I think I was just trying to hide the fact that I was falling for him. I didn't want to admit it to myself, much less you." I told her. "But when I broke up with Paul… I realized that I was so in love with this other guy that I couldn't live without him," I said.

Hanna giggled into the phone. "That's so romantic." She said, laughing. "I never would've thought that you would do that, but hey, I guess I've learned something today. And you know that I'm happy you and Paul are over. He so wasn't the right guy for you. And, lastly, I need to meet this new man of yours."

I laughed and leaned forward, elbows resting on my knees. "You'll meet him eventually." I told her. I let out a sigh just thinking about him, and she seemed to know what I was thinking.

"Honey," She said, "You are so over your head."

"I know." I told her.

"And I love it. Well, happy new home or whatever, and I'll be calling again sometime soon. We need to get together and get some things done before I go off to college." She said. I sighed again. Hanna was going out of state, to Georgia. I was going to miss her more than she knew. But then again, it would be helpful to have her out of my life. She would be one less person to constantly lie to.

"Okay. I promise we'll do something soon."

I could practically see Hanna smiling in my mind. "Love you. Buh-bye," She said. I waited until she hung up before hitting the red end button on my phone and tossing it on the bed next to me.

# # #

I was in the room I shared with Nick. It was usually pretty bright in here, but today it seemed darker somehow. After a moment, I realized that it had to be the white mist that seemed to hang around the edges of the room that was different. It made the room seem more mysterious. I looked around for Nick, wondering what had changed since I'd hung up with Hanna.

I climbed out of the bed and brushed off my jeans. I headed towards the window and leaned forward to open the blinds, hoping that it would let in a little more light and wash away the creepy white mist. There was a low laugh behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin, whirling around to see the guy that had attacked Nick on my street. Marcus.

I backed up against the desk, my hip shaking the table. The plants wavered where they sat. I reached out to steady one of the containers, and Marcus just laughed again, like it was the most hilarious thing he'd ever seen. "So tell me, where are you?"

I cleared my throat. I suddenly realized what was happening. This was an echo. Nick had warned me about it. I was sleeping, but I was here. And whatever Marcus did to me would end up being real. If he decided to cut my throat, I'd be dead. It scared me to no end, and I struggled to find a way out of this.

"Nuh-uh, don't panic. We wouldn't want Nick coming here and destroying our fun, now would we?" He asked. He looked around the room, and then stepped over towards me. I stepped away, and he smirked at me briefly before reaching to pluck a leaf from one of Nick's plants. Immediately, I reached out to stop him. Marcus shook his finger at me and brought a thin, silver pocketknife from his jacket. "Let's talk." He said, opening the knife.

I swallowed nervously. "What do you want to talk about?" I asked, leaning against Nick's bookshelf. I didn't know if I could head out into the hallway, or if I was stuck here in the room. I would still have to catapult myself over the bed and to the door, and I didn't know if I could beat Marcus there. He had a knife, for God's sake. My heart was pounding in my chest. I wondered if Nick heard, or if it was all hidden by the echo. _Nick_, I pleaded, _Please come get me._ Marcus twirled his knife around. _Oh, God, Nick. He has a knife._ I was practically screaming the words in my head. Surely he had to hear me.

Marcus twirled the knife again and then stabbed the blade into the soft wood of the desk. I swallowed again, trying to put on a façade that would say that I wasn't scared in the least. I didn't want Marcus to think that he was able to instill fear in me, even though he could. It would give him a sense of power that I didn't think he deserved.

I glanced at the knife and then back to Marcus's face. He gave me a smile and put up two hands, like he was surrendering. Except I wasn't the one with a weapon. He was. I took another step back, the wooden shelves digging into my back. I bit down on my lip. I didn't want an offense mark from him. It hurt me, and Nick had told me that it drained my energy when it was still on my skin. I had the feeling that even though it hurt Marcus, too, he wouldn't hesitate to put a few hundred of those on me.

"Elsie, Elsie," Marcus clicked his tongue at me, like an old grandma does to warn her grandchildren away from the antiques. "All I want to know is where you are."

I shook my head. Nick had told me what he and his family did to Maggie and Caleb. They'd separated them. The withdrawals had to be the most painful things in the world. I had a feeling that since they hadn't won with Maggie, they'd try to go after the next one – me, since they didn't know about Lynne. I figured that Kyle had done a grand job at keeping her hidden. I couldn't help but feel briefly jealous of her. She didn't have to worry about having Marcus haunt her dreams.

"Here's the deal, Elsie," Marcus said, pulling the knife out of the desk. He ran a finger along the blade, speaking without looking at me. "They want to keep more Jacobsons for ascending. And I'm all for it. Why should their family get their imprints and the ascensions back when my family has been just as patient? We've gone just as long without an ascension. And as you know, they're important to us, too. Nobody wants to be weak." I bit down on my lip to keep from replying to him. He wanted the imprints so he could get his ability. He didn't care about love. Marcus smirked at me. "And I figured, since our last attempt at keeping an ascension from happening failed, I would take the steps to get it done… permanently. You do know what that means, right?" He asked.

"You're going to try to…." I glanced at the knife. Marcus smiled and drew a finger across his throat. "You're going to kill me?" I asked.

Marcus grinned. "Yes, and see, here's where the interesting thing is. Sure, it'll destroy you. You'll be dead. But Nick… he'll lose who he is without his significant. I've heard some say the pain of those withdrawals cause death in the other significant. So don't worry, you might be seeing him soon. Of course, some of them can learn to live without them. An everlasting pain, I guess." He admired the knife again and then stepped forward to me. I realized too late that I'd missed my window to jump across the bed.

_Nick_, I pleaded in my mind, trying to keep from shaking. _Nick, please come. Oh, God, please come_. Marcus wielded the knife. I wondered if it could really kill me. It was a pocketknife, hardly big enough to do major damage. But it still could hurt me, and since a silver blade wasn't supernatural, it meant that I would have to heal the old-fashioned way.

Marcus glanced up suddenly, and I followed his gaze. He was looking at the door. I didn't know what he'd seen or heard, but I could only hope that it would save me. Marcus glared at me, called me a few choice words, and then leapt at me, knife bared. I screamed as he flew towards me, ducking against the bookcase.

I was still screaming when I opened my eyes. Nick was right above me, his hands on my face. He was heaving, as if he'd just run a mile to get to me. He cursed under his breath and rested his forehead against mine for a minute. I was breathing roughly, too, except I was panicking because I had nearly become a sort of disproportionate kabob. I heard the trample of feet and looked over towards the bedroom door. Rodney was standing in the doorway, hands on his knees as he heaved. He and Nick must've run here from the stables or something. Alexandra and Daniel, their parents, appeared in the doorway.

"Nick!" Alexandra said. She sounded a little peeved about something, and that's when I realized that he was practically laying on me. His torso added a comfortable weight to my chest, like I was being squeezed in a hug instead of squished onto a mattress.

"Chill out, mom," Rodney said to her. He shook his head, cowboy hat in hand. "I think she had an echo attack."

Alexandra touched a hand to her mouth as Nick pulled away from me. He pushed himself up with his elbows, one hand on my neck. He took my hand and pulled me up. "Are you okay?" He asked. "Oh, my God, Elsie, please tell me he didn't hurt you." He brushed my hair off my neck and checked my arms.

"I'm fine." I said, throwing my arms around him. I pulled him against me, squeezing my eyes shut as I buried my face in his neck. Nick held on to me, and I heard Daniel telling his wife that maybe they needed to give us some privacy. Rodney nodded and closed the door behind him. Nick's arms tightened around me.

"I can't believe I was stupid enough to leave you here."

"Don't blame yourself." I told him. "I'm the one who fell asleep."

Nick pulled away to look me right in the eyes. "You shouldn't have to worry about when you can sleep. You should be able to sleep whenever you want with having the likes of him haunt your dreams." He pressed his forehead to mine, eyes closed. "I heard you calling out to me. At first I thought it was just because you were having withdrawals, because I started to feel them, too. But when you said he had a knife…." He shook his head. "I took off running. I pushed the horse into a gallop right up to the house, jumped off, and ran in here to find you screaming. What did he say to you? What was he going to do?"

I felt a single tear fall down my cheek. Nick's thumb brushed it away. "He said kidnapping had failed when it came to Maggie and Caleb, and they don't want us or anyone else to ascend. They wanted to permanently get rid of me." I said. Nick's hands tightened on my arms. I pulled away from him and lifted his chin, so he could look me in the eyes. "But I'm fine. Let's just agree to not fall asleep alone, okay?"

Nick shook his head, like he disagreed with me. I leaned forward and kissed him. He just sat there for a moment, and then he finally kissed me back. When neither of us could breathe correctly, we pulled away from each other.

"We'll be fine," I whispered to him.

"The Watsons aren't going to get out of this without some trouble from us." He told me, his voice low. I attributed it to the fact that he was just angry.

"Just leave them be. Obviously you can't fight them with brute force." I said. "You'll have to outsmart them." I pushed the warm comforter off and tied back my hair. I tugged on the back of my jeans and smoothed out the front of my shirt. It was wrinkled from me sleeping in it. Nick rolled out of his bed, still wearing his shoes. He kicked them off and ran a hand through his hair. He sent me a warm smile.

"I have a feeling you've got that handled."

I reached for the bedroom door, fully recovered, physically, from my near-brush with Marcus. I leaned forward and kissed the side of his neck, standing on my tiptoes as I opened the door. "You've got that right."

**I decided to spare you reader(s) the cliffhanger this time around. But now you see the dilemma with Nick and Elsie. Marcus and the Watsons have reached a whole 'nother level….**

**Leave me a review! Peace (:**


	13. Chapter 13

**HOLY COW. Defiance came out early (March 9.) I bought and read Defiance in a single day. I'm a little disappointed that I have to wait for the next book. **_**Ugh**_**. I'm so impatient that it's killing me! Anyway, I'll try to not drop any spoilers for you readers.**

**In Defiance, there's a single sentence about Rodney having a sister. For my little story here, we're all going to pretend that it said "brother" instead. Bear with me. (:**

**Anonymous – Thanks! (: I'm glad you like it. **

**INeverSawAnotherButterfly – Tis okay (: And that's freaking adorable, "boils my lobsters." You get to relax with this chapter, though. It's date night for Nick & Elsie! (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

Daniel called Peter on the main line phone. Caleb's father was the clan champion, and according to Nick's family, it was only right for him to know. Apparently, Peter had put in a claim against the Watsons with some sort of Ace council for their attacks on Maggie and Caleb. I sat with Nick on the couch, watching Daniel rant into the phone's mouthpiece. Nick's hand rubbed up and down my jeaned leg. I'd sat on the far end of the couch, and he'd sat right next to me, his lap the perfect place to stretch out my legs.

"I won't stand for it, Peter!" Daniel exclaimed. Nick was practically shaking, he was so angry. It took almost everything I had _not_ to launch myself completely in his lap. Instead, I just tried to take away his anger by holding onto the elbow that was closest to me. Nick was still angry, though, and that worried me. I didn't want him to do anything in retaliation. "Marcus tried to _kill_ my son's significant!" Nick's hand froze, tightening on my leg. I sat up a little bit and wrapped both of my arms around one of his, my fingers splayed out on his forearm. He sighed and his grip on me loosened a little.

Alexandra had moved to comfort Daniel at the same time I'd grabbed a hold of Nick. Rodney, who was sitting in one of the arm chairs, looked at his hands, which were folded together in between his knees. We were all paired off, except for him. I felt bad for him, but it wasn't like I could just make his perfect soul mate appear before him. If I could, I would. Nick's free hand settled on the top of my foot, bringing my attention back to him. I glanced into his bluish-green eyes, which seemed to be looking straight through me.

_I'm fine._ I told him. _We're both fine. Just stay by my side and we won't have to deal with this ever again_. It certainly sounded clingy, but he had to understand, right? I mean, if I ever fell asleep without him beside me again, I could lose my life. That sobered me immediately, and my arms tightened around his one arm.

_I'll never leave you again. And you don't have to worry about being clingy, because I'm going to be the most overprotective person you've ever met. Worse than your brothers, even._

_You know, somehow that doesn't really bother me, coming from you_. I replied in my mind. It seemed like every day we were getting better at talking in our mind. Nick had told me that our ascensions should only take a few weeks, and with the two of us drawing closer to our two-week mark, I wondered if it was just around the corner. I felt a little sick at the idea. This had to be a last resort for the Watsons. Maybe they thought they had a lot longer than they did. Maybe they had no idea that Nick and I had been significants for almost two weeks, and that their window of opportunity was closing faster than they could imagine. Nick reached out with his free hand and caught my chin, his jaw clenched as he stared into my eyes.

_They won't get you. And you're right. Our ascensions shouldn't be too far off_.

I sighed as his father took a deep breath. The sound of it made the two of us look away from each other and towards Daniel. He had Alexandra tucked into his side, and he was nodding, as if Peter could see him. "Right, thank you, Peter." There was a short pause and he said. "Yes, I'm sure Nick is going to stay right beside Elsie." He hung up the phone and stared at the blank screen for a moment, shaking his head. He turned to look at the two of us. "Honestly, we can't do much. Peter will put in another claim against the Watsons, which will be dealt with at the reunification." I had no idea what that was, but Nick nodded. "For now, you two just need to stay together."

"Thanks, dad," Nick said quietly. Daniel just nodded. He and Alexandra left the room, whispering amongst themselves. Rodney stayed in his armchair for a little while longer, watching Nick and I. I stayed attached to his arm, resting my head on his shoulder. I had no idea what he was doing, but he'd gone back to rubbing a hand over my legs.

The three of us sat there in silence for a minute. Rodney pulled out his cell phone and was texting someone, his thumb dancing across the screen. He looked up a little while later and said, "Why don't you two go riding? We've got that party tomorrow and you two need to relax a little bit before then."

"A party?" I asked, sitting up a little bit more.

Nick nodded. I could feel his voice rumbling out of his chest. "Yeah. It's just another family picnic. It's not really a party."

"But the entire Jacobson family together is more than enough people to have a party." Rodney said, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

Nick shook his head at his brother. "It's a picnic, Elsie." He said to me. He turned to look at me, his eyes searching my face, as if I was going to be upset about it. "I was going to ask if you wanted to go when I got back from riding, but then the whole thing with Marcus…."

"I don't see why we wouldn't go. You're stuck with me forever, so I might as well hang out with your family." Nick actually cracked a grin at that, and I kissed his cheek. Rodney gave us a smile, obviously trying to be happy for us, but wishing that he had someone sitting next to him. I gave Rodney a smile from where I sat, and he nodded before standing up. He picked his cowboy hat off of the arm of the chair and headed back towards his bedroom. Nick and I sat there for a moment longer before I looked up at him. "So, are we going riding?"

"I thought you'd never ridden a horse before." He said, raising his eyebrows.

"No, but I'm willing to try, if you're willing to teach me." I told him.

Nick flashed me a warm smile. "Well then, what are we waiting for?" He asked, patting my shins. "Let's get to our lessons, shall we?"

# # #

"When you go to get up, you're going to put your hands on the horn here and pull yourself up, and then you can grab a hold of the reigns. And make sure you get both of your feet into the stirrups." Nick said, patting the saddle. He'd referred to the weird-looking pommel at the front of the saddle as the "horn." I stared at it, wondering if grabbing onto it was going to pull the entire saddle sideways. "You'll be fine," Nick said, "I've tightened the girth, so you're saddle won't be moving around. Go on, give it a try."

I swallowed nervously. I'd told him that I was excited about it, and that excitement level had stayed high while he showed me the different types of riding gear. Nick had called it _tack_ when we'd been in the storage room – which, of course, he'd called the tack room. I'd watched him put the bridle over the horse's head and watched him slide the metal bit into the horse's mouth. The horse, the one that I had become friends with when it had been in its stall, now looked huge and menacing. Its teeth where big and yellow, but that didn't stop Nick from putting his fingers close to its mouth to give it the bit.

I stepped up to the horse, watching its feet closely. One of its hooves could really hurt me, and it wasn't like Nick and I were ascended. He couldn't heal me if the horse decided to break my foot or kick me in the head. I put both of my hands on the saddle, one of them on the horn. I put one foot up in the stirrup, and Nick stood behind me, his hands on my waist while I pulled myself up the rest of the way. I lay there on the saddle for a moment before swinging over my other leg and settling into the saddle. Nick handed me the reigns, and I looked down at him.

It was so weird to be higher than he was. The horse's dark hair blew a little in the wind, its ears flicking all over the place. It took a step forward as Nick pulled it a little closer to his own horse, and with my fingers still wrapped around the reigns, I held on to the horn. Nick reached the second horse that he'd gotten ready. With an easy grace that I'd obviously lacked, Nick pulled himself up into his saddle. He turned to look at me, the horse turning to look with him. "We'll take it easy. Just pick up your reigns. We're neck reigning, so you only really need one hand, but two is fine for now. Whenever you want to turn, just move the reigns to that side and give a gentle squeeze with your leg on that same side." I took a deep breath and nodded. He gave me a smile. "It's not really hard, Elsie, you'll do fine. Just sit square in your saddle and look right between the horse's ears. Peanut here will follow Sassy, so you don't really have to worry about getting him to walk. But if you want to stop, just give a gentle pull back on the reigns. Not too hard, though."

"Got it," I said. The correct terms were starting to confuse me, but I could see what he meant by the images he was supplying in his head. Thank God I could read his mind, or else I'd probably be horribly confused. Nick looked up and me and sent me a picture of the two of us riding across an empty field, laughing. "Is that one of your visions that you got when we imprinted?" I asked. It seemed so surreal, so bright and colorful, that it reminded me of the visions I'd had.

"Not exactly," He said, but the way he said it implied that it was more or less closer to what he'd seen in his mind. And even though the horse sort of scared the crap out of me, I wanted to be able to ride like an expert across a field with him. The image left something to be desired. It made me really want to learn to ride. He flashed me a grin, and then he nudged his horse, Sassy, into a walk. My horse started moving right after his. It was sort of scary in a weird way. A horse moved in a truly unique way, one that I'd never felt before. It was sort of like my body was lurching forward and swaying from side to side at the same time, but it was easy and light and not like anything else I could imagine. My hands tightened on the horn in front of me momentarily. Nick chuckled up ahead of me, and I could feel a flush traveling up my neck and coloring my cheeks.

We didn't talk to each other, not even in our minds. Instead, we kept up a steady stream of just emotions. Nick was constantly watching me as if he was worried I was going to freak out and fall off the horse. He was partly worried because of my inexperience, partly worried because it had been clear that I wasn't the most comfortable in a saddle. I was trying to send him messages that I was just fine and that I wasn't about to freak out.

We still had a few hours until it got dark, so Nick led us up a little hill. As we climbed higher, the lowering sun seemed to get a little closer. Nick pulled his horse to a stop when he got to the top, and my horse continued walking a little more before stopping next to his. It leaned forward to nibble at the grass at the top of the hill, and I clutched onto the horn, losing my grip on the reigns. Nick laughed and motioned to the ground below us. There was a creek bed, water bubbling as it ran over the rocks and down out of sight.

"Wow," I breathed, "That's beautiful."

"It's a good thing you like nature so much," He said, giving me a warm smile.

"Yeah?" I asked, patting my horse's neck. Peanut gave a little jerk but continued to eat, stepping forward a little bit. My butt was starting to hurt from sitting on the saddle for so long, but I liked the feeling of having an animal so close to me. It was sort of like traveling back in the past, before people had cars and trains and boats, back to the time where they'd had to ride horses everywhere. I was surprised that I'd never been around a horse before. My love for animals had sort of just been a visual thing until now.

"Yeah, considering the fact that I've told my parents I was going to live on a ranch since I was four." He glanced over at me. "What do you think about that?" My cheeks flushed. It was exciting to talk about the rest of my life with him, but it was also scary, too. Before I'd met Nick, I'd just been going with the flow of life. There didn't really seem to be any purpose or goal. But now, I knew that it was my job to stand by his side and stay a part of his family, to be an Ace.

"I think it'll be fun," I told him. Nick practically glowed with the words. I realized that he was worried that I wouldn't have wanted to stay with him. I didn't know where he got that notion from, but it was apparent that I'd settled some sort of worry in his mind. I flashed him a smile, and he motioned towards the creek.

"Do you want to take a break from riding?" He asked me. "We can go for a walk."

"Sure," I replied, my heart fluttering at the idea. How many times had I just wanted to go for a walk through the park, or down the street in the evening? It was one of those perfect boyfriend things that I never thought I was going to get. Nick swung a leg off of his horse and brought the reins over the horse's head, tying them to a thick branch in a nearby tree. He looked over at me, and I sat there for a moment on Peanut, whose ears flicked when Sassy was moved from her place next to him to the tree, but stayed where he was. "Um, Nick? How do I get off?"

He laughed and directed me off of the horse. I held onto the horn as I crawled down, nearly getting my foot stuck in the stirrup. Nick put one hand on my hip, his fingers hooked through my belt loop. I stumbled backwards from the horse, reaching backwards to grab a hold of the front of his shirt. Nick steadied me with his hands on my elbows, and then led Peanut next to Sassy. He tied the reigns into the branches, and then slipped my hand in his. Together, we walked down the hill.

"What's reunification?" I asked, trying to maneuver my way around rocks. Nick's hand tightened on mine every single time one of us had to make a step down over a particularly sharp area of rocks. The creek was surrounded on both sides by rocks, which grew smaller the closer it got to the water. The farther up the hill, the larger the rocks got before they gave away to tall grass. I was lucky that I'd worn jeans and real shoes.

"It's a big week-long get together for Aces. It's like a family reunion." He replied. "We all go to London closer to the end of summer."

I tightened my hand on his the moment I stepped down from a tall rock, which shook under my weight. "So, you're telling me that I'm going to meet my family?"

"You're family away from mine," Nick answered without missing a beat. His eyes bore into mine. "When Aces imprint, they leave their family and move in with the other one. My mom was of the London clan, but when she imprinted with my father, she was immediately a Jacobson. She moved here and was married to my father within a few weeks, just after their ascension." He told me. "By all rules and traditions of Aces, you don't belong with them anymore. You're a Jacobson, and they have no claim over you." He said.

I nodded and took another step down. We reached the edge of the water, and I stopped. He stood next to me, and I leaned into him. I wish we would've thought to bring jackets because it started to get colder when it got darker. The sun wasn't setting yet, but the temperature was already dropping. I snuggled into his side, and he put an arm around me, drawing me closer. "What am I going to say to them?"

"What do you want to say to them?" He asked quietly. I could hear the rumble of his voice from his chest.

"I want to know why they gave me up. And I'm worried that when I do meet them, I won't like them. Or I'll just explode and start yelling at them for leaving me. I love Royce and Nolan, and I loved my adoptive parents, but I have the feeling that this will be a lot easier to deal with if they hadn't give me up. And think about it. Aces are all about family. What's so different about me?"

"I don't know," He said, pressing his lips to my hair. "I have no idea why they gave you up. It certainly would've been different. You would've grown up in Prague, and I would've only seen you for a week out of every year. So I guess I'm not complaining about having you already so close to me."

"Would we have imprinted?" I asked him.

"Aces are all about destiny. It's fate for two people to imprint. We would've imprinted eventually. But the thing with reunification is that not many people actually imprint in front of others. Usually it's a one-on-one thing, or at least, there's not that many people around. My mom imprinted with my dad when he went to Europe for some sort of architectural design school. So I would have to say that we probably wouldn't have seen each other very often, unless I was in Prague or you were in Tennessee."

I sighed and closed my eyes. "Well, I'm glad that they gave me up, then. I can't imagine my life without you."

He smiled and hugged me a little tighter. "They don't know what they missed out on." He said quietly. Sure, I was glad that my birth family had given me up so I had the chance to become close to Nick, but I was still upset that they had put me up for adoption. I'd always wondered what had been wrong with me, to the point where they hadn't wanted me. But if everything was fate, was destined to be the way it was, did that mean that I was always meant to live life without knowing I was an Ace until I met Nick? Still, his words warmed my heart, and it made me love him all the more.

I looked up at him, intending to get a good glimpse at his eyes. They were my favorite feature of his, so open, honest, and beautiful. I don't know how it happened, but when I went to step back, I missed a rock and twisted my ankle. My first instinct was to grab on to Nick, but he wasn't expecting it. We both toppled forward, falling into the surprisingly deep creek.

Suddenly soaked, and now really cold, I blew water out of my nose and gasped when I hit the surface. Nick sat up and shook out his hair. When I sat up, the water came up to my shoulders. On him, it came up to his chest. I laughed and pushed back my hair. "Sorry," I said.

He laughed, too, and reached out of my hand. Together, we stood up. I leaned down and scooped up water in my cupped hands and threw it at him. He retaliated, and it ended up being a full-out splash fight. In ten minutes, it was over and we were soaked to the bone and laughing so hard that it hurt. I wadded through the water to him, hands up in surrender. He smirked at me as I threw my arms around him and lifted my chin to look at him. He smiled down at me and pressed his lips to mine. It was brief, just a warm peck, but it was still enough to make me smile.

He shook out his hair and gave me another one of his winning smiles. "Come on, we've got to head home before it gets dark." He squeezed me close to him and said, "I like saying home, and knowing that you're going to be there with me." He said.

"Aw, that was so sappy that I loved it." I told him, kissing his cheek. He rubbed his nose against mine for half of a second, and then released all of me but my hand.

We struggled to step out of the creek, our wet clothes weighing us down and dripping water. "My mom is going to kill me if you get sick." He said, the idea that I would be sick at all seeming to weigh heavily on his mind. He brushed the back of his hand over my cheek. "I'll be mad at myself if you get sick." He said.

"For your information, I have an amazing immune system. I can't remember the last time I got sick. Besides, you can't get sick from cold weather or getting wet." I told him, stepping out of the creek. I turned to haul him out with me, and smiled at him. "You get sick from bacteria and viruses."

"Which I'm sure there are plenty of both here," He said, brushing a strand of wet hair from my face.

"I'll be fine. I think what your mom will be mad about is if we drip water all over her carpet." I told him, squeezing out water from the front of my shirt. My shoes and socks were soaked all the way through, so my shoes were probably going to squeak whenever I wore them, now. I squeezed out my hair, creating a puddle at my feet.

Nick squeezed out his shirt and shook his hair, flinging water droplets everywhere. Nick and I headed up the hill, tall pieces of grass sticking to our jeans and shoes. He untied the reins from our horses and helped me get back onto Peanut. I settled into the saddle, my butt already hurting from the ride ahead. Nick glanced up at the sky as he climbed on his horse. "We might have to trot a little to get down there, are you okay with that?" He asked.

"A trot?" I questioned.

"It's just a little faster than a walk. You'll bump a little bit, but just try to bounce with the horse and you'll be fine. Let's not get into the specifics, okay?"

"There are specifics to trotting?" I asked.

Nick shrugged. "It's sort of like driving a car. It's not as simple as it seems until you get used to doing it." He told me. "If it's too hard to figure out then we'll slow down to a walk." He told me. In his mind, he was giving me easy directions. It was sort of like learning it through someone else.

"How did you get so good at this?" I asked him.

"My Uncle Max, Kyle's dad, is what we call a Novice. He learns things quickly, and then he can teach everyone else in seconds."

"So you cheated?"

"Not exactly," He replied, flashing me a smile. Our horses started to walk, and he turned back to look at where he was going. "I learned the regular way, but I always had trouble trotting. He gave me some mental tips."

I nodded, and I figured that he could tell I was agreeing with him. I read through the memories of trotting that he sent to me and tried to copy them, but it was still hard for me to pick up. We didn't get far until Nick slowed his horse to a walk, and Peanut followed suit. I was really starting to think that horse riding might be best if I learned it from his Uncle Max. That way I wouldn't feel like such an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," Nick said, navigating Sassy down another hill. "It's something new that you've never encountered before. And this is an area that I wouldn't want to trot in, anyway." He added with a short laugh. "The house is only a little farther down."

Nick led the way back to the stables, where he had to help me figure out how to get off. I could get on just fine, now, but for some reason my brain couldn't wrap around the fact that I could get off without catapulting myself to the ground. In the stables, Nick taught me how to brush the horses off after we took their saddles off. He wanted me to go inside and change right away, but I was stubborn and wanted to hang around. Nearly an hour after we got to the stables, we were heading to the house. My butt and back and legs were sore from riding, but it had really been one of the best dates of my life.

Nick was rushing to get me into the house so I could shower and change. It got colder at night, and with my clothes still damp I was trying not to shiver. I didn't want him to be right when it came to whether or not I would feel a little sick. He pushed open the door for me to step in first. Alexandra and Daniel were sitting in the living room, watching TV.

Alexandra looked us over just as Rodney stepped out of the kitchen. He burst out laughing, nearly spraying whatever he was eating all over the living room. "Why are you two wet?" She asked. Rodney wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I took her down to the creek. We sort of fell in." He replied, his hand massaging the muscles on the back of my neck.

"Well why didn't you come in here right away and take showers to warm up?"

"The horses needed to be taken care of, and Elsie here is extremely stubborn. She wanted to stay and help." He said. "And I'm helpless to her." He whispered the last part in my ear before quickly kissing my cheek. Rodney pretended to gag when Alexandra and Daniel couldn't see him, and I gave him a big smile.

"Go on and shower, then," Alexandra said, waving us on. Nick and I headed back to his room – I guess it was our room, now. I pulled out a pair of sleep shorts. I didn't have that many of my brother's old shirts. One of them was so holey that I couldn't believe I'd even brought it, and two of them were already dirty. I was in the promise of trying to find one when Nick tossed one of his shirts over my shoulder. "Just wear one of my shirts," Nick told me.

"Thanks," I said. He kissed my temple and I headed to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, I emerged, wearing my shorts and Nick's shirt – it was one from a rodeo – with my hair tied up. Begrudgingly, Nick had been right. Sitting that long in cold, wet clothes had given me a chill that was still present after my hot shower. When I got back to the bedroom, Nick gave me a smile and tossed me one of his pull-over hoodies, knowing that he was right. I stuck my tongue out at him as he slipped by to take his own shower.

While he was gone, I pulled back the sheets on the bed and crawled onto my side. I reached out to pick up a book that I'd been reading when I noticed my phone sitting haphazardly on the bedside table. It was a good thing that I'd forgotten it when we went on our ride, or else it would've been damaged from the creek. I picked it up and noticed that I had a text message from Royce. He flat out said that he wasn't sure he liked me living with Nick, and wanted to meet his family to make sure that he wasn't some insane serial killer.

I groaned at it and tried to think of a way to reply to him when Nick stepped back into the room. He was wearing sleep pants and a loose shirt. He looked at me staring at my phone. "What's wrong?"

"Royce wants to meet your family. He still thinks you're some clever serial killer." I told him.

He gave a short laugh. "I'm sure my parents will be okay with it. But let's just play it safe and have him meet my parents and Rodney. Maybe Maggie and Caleb, since they liked Maggie so much the first time." He added.

I sighed. "Yeah, maybe. But Royce won't make this easy for us." I told him.

"It doesn't matter. Not as long as I end up with you." He told me. He leaned over and kissed my forehead before climbing next to me, hugging my tightly to him. I snuggled into his chest, wrapped up in his arms and his jacket. "Goodnight, Elsie." He whispered.

"Night," I whispered back, closing my eyes. It didn't matter if I dreamed anymore, because this was exactly where I wanted to be.

**I do believe this is my longest chapter yet. I don't know if I've ever posted one longer. Anyway, this is a little bit of fluff, but that's because I thought it would be fun for Elsie to learn how to ride a horse, and she still needs to learn some stuff. Plus, what's a love story without some cute dates? (:**

**Anyway, enjoy the love in this chapter, because this next chapter is going to have to include some important things, such as Royce being annoying and the Watsons trying to butt into the Jacobsons' lives more than they should.**

**Leave me a review! I'll try to update the next chapter at the end of this week/weekend. Peace. (:**


	14. Chapter 14

**BreeTico – Whoa, sudden name change. Lol, talk about my confusion. (: And yes, it will be complete, total agony waiting for Independence. But Mrs. Crane has proven to be a fairly prolific writer (and so I'm hoping that the last installment in the series doesn't take **_**too**_** long. There's nothing like an uncertain date to make you sad.)**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I basically slid out of sleep, awareness coming over me like a blanket on a cold night. I squeezed my eyes shut a little tighter and snuggled closer into Nick's side. It was funny, how awkward sleeping next to him had been that first night. It had been exactly what I needed to relax and stay safe, but it had been a huge step in our relationship. Now, I felt like this was the norm, like I' stayed by his side for the last few years. I stayed where I was, face buried into his chest, but I couldn't lay there for long. I was hot in his jacket. Last night, it had been the best thing ever because of how cold I'd been, but now it was like a heater had been blasting on me for the last ten minutes. I slowly managed to pull away from him.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I stretched out my arms, just for the movement. I never felt stiff or unrested in the mornings, but the fact that I'd barely moved throughout the night made me want to stretch or go for a long walk. After another few minutes, I stood up and headed for my dresser, pulling out one of my nicer pairs of jeans and a slightly dressier shirt. It ran my fingers over the frilly, fabric flowers that adorned the only strap it had, stretching all the way down my neckline. I figured it was nice enough for a picnic with Nick's family. Even though he accepted and loved me, I didn't know what his family was thinking. And just because he loved me didn't mean his family did. I bit down on my lip and smoothed my thumb over the rhinestones on the back pocket of my jeans. I guess it didn't really matter what Nick's family thought, because he was stuck with me.

I slipped out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. The mirror was still fogged up, probably from Rodney. I quickly got dressed and then opened the door to air out the room, rubbing a circle onto the mirror with the side of my fist. With my hair still wrapped up in a towel, I put on my makeup, trying to even out my skin tone and line my eyes. Once my hair was blow dried, I didn't look too bad. Hopefully I would be enough to impress Nick's family, including the ones that I had briefly met when they explained what Aces were to me, and ones that were going to be there today but hadn't been there last time I'd been around the Jacobsons. I bit my lip and forced myself to give the me in the mirror a smile. My nerves were sudden, and they would disappear eventually, but for now they ran rampant. I brushed my fingers through my blonde hair and assessed the different shades of brown in my eyes.

I was so focused on trying to make myself look perfect for Nick's family that I didn't even realize when I picked up on the steady run of his thoughts when he woke up. There was the hint of a split second of panic when he realized – almost immediately – that I wasn't beside him, but he calmed down when he picked up on my presence in the bathroom. I focused on him, trying to block my thoughts while picking up on his. He was picking through his closet, trying to find a shirt that didn't have any holes in it. I held back the smile. We needed to go out and buy him some shirts that he could wear out in public, because a good half of his shirts he'd worn for work around the ranch were now torn or stained. In my mind, I saw him pull a pair of jeans from his dresser and a shirt from his closet.

After a few more minutes, I left the bathroom and headed for the bedroom. I could hear Alexandra in the kitchen, and it wouldn't surprise me if Daniel was already out at the stables. Apparently he and Rodney, and usually Nick, woke up at the crack of dawn to feed and take care of the horses. It seemed that, of late, they'd all decided that Nick's presence with me was much more important than the duties he'd had in the early mornings. I was still thinking about his immediate family when I stepped into the room. Nick had his back to me. He was only wearing his jeans. His back was well muscled, and it made me bite down on my lip. Nick was tanned and strong, while Paul, whom I only saw shirtless when we went swimming, was a little more lanky (more like twiggy) and definitely more pale. It was probably best that my thoughts where blocked from Nick, because when he turned around I was sure that my cheeks had flushed. I pretended to be straightening up the top of my dresser by the door while secretly looking at his defined abs out of the corners of my eyes.

Nick pulled his shirt over his head while I finished pretending to clean up. There wasn't much to clean, so I had ended up just pushing dust and my photographs around. I didn't know if Nick had been able to pick up on my blush or not, but I looked up and gave him a smile before pulling the comforter on the bed tight.

Together, we stepped out of the bedroom and to the kitchen. The two of us had slept in late, so we'd missed breakfast. Daniel and Rodney were nowhere to be seen, so I figured that they were out in the stables or somewhere else outside. It seemed like Nick's immediate family really liked the outdoors, although Rodney was really the only one who embraced the cowboy outlook, with his cowboy hat. It wouldn't surprise me if he had George Strait on his iPod.

Alexandra glanced up when we walked in. Nick paused in the living room to make sure our shoes were dry from the night before and I continued on. I hadn't spent much time alone with his mother, and I figured that it was as good a time as any to start to build some sort of relationship with her. It was clear to me that I was going to marry Nick one day, and that would make her my mother-in-law. I had no interest in having one of those awful relationships with her, the kind portrayed in movies. I didn't want to hate her or have her hate me. I gave her a smile as I walked in. She was busy over the stove, stabbing a toothpick into a chocolate cake that she had just pulled from the oven.

"Good morning, Elsie." She said to me, glancing at me from behind the toothpick, which she held close to her face as she inspected it. Since it was dry, she tossed it to the side and turned off the oven. I assumed that she'd been in here since breakfast, since it seemed like she never left the confines of the kitchen. Caleb's mother had been one that was apparently good in the kitchen. I wondered if she and Alexandra shared that, or if it had just been a coincidence.

"Morning," I said, brushing a hand through my hair nervously. "Do you need any help?"

"Oh, you're such a dear. Sure, I need to make my cheesy noodle casserole. The recipe is on the counter. Can you start to pull out the ingredients?"

I nodded and picked up the recipe, heading to the pantry to pull out the dry noodles and the fridge for the cheese and the milk. Alexandra told me about her casserole, and how the first time she made it Nick had been in pure awe over it, for some reason. It had something to do with the fact that after she boiled the noodles, she put them in a pan to put in the oven. Apparently, he couldn't put those two together, and he was confused as to how the noodles cooked in the oven. I was laughing about it as he walked in, imagining him as a shorter, skinnier, slightly nerdy little boy, with big blue eyes and a quirky, mischievous smile. He glanced between his mother and me, clearly amused and pleased that we were getting along. Apparently, he'd been worried about the same thing I was – whether or not his family would approve of me.

Alexandra continued to talk to me, telling me all the funny things that Rodney and Nick had done when they were younger, from building forts in the living room to pretending that they were pirates in the front yard. I giggled at it all, and Nick flushed with the memories. He was only slightly embarrassed by the fact that he'd been a weird little kid, but I had been pretty strange, too. I'd been the type of little girl that carried around a bright pink microphone, which I sang nearly every word I said into, whether or not it needed to be sung. It made me wish that I'd known him when we were younger. If my family – my real, biological family – had kept me, I would've known Nick from the time I was a little girl. It was funny, how much I craved those imaginary memories that didn't belong to me.

Before I knew it, an hour had passed. Daniel and Rodney stepped in, both of them a little sweaty from working. It was time for us to head out – Alexandra was leaving early to help set up, while Nick wanted to stop by the videogame store. Apparently, he owed his cousin, Kyle, a game. He'd stepped into the store to buy him the game when he'd imprinted with me. He'd left without the game, and Kyle had been borderline upset with him. The store was on the way into town to Caleb's house. I shrugged and agreed to go with him, since I didn't want to be separated from him.

Alexandra got into her car and left while I grabbed my purse and slipped on a pair of sandals. Nick's sneakers were still wet, so he borrowed a pair from Rodney, who apparently hadn't worn anything but boots in a long time. We headed out to his car, heading straight into town.

The videogame store was empty when we pulled up. Nick's car with the only car in the parking lot, which put me at ease. Once we pulled into town, I started to think about the fact that the store was the one favorite of Paul's, and if I was going to see him anywhere, it would be there. But we were only going to be there for a few minutes. I planned to hide away in Nick's car if Paul was there, but he wasn't, which left the coast clear.

What I didn't think about was Martin, sitting behind his counter, chewing his bubble gum just like the day Nick and I had imprinted. Seeing him sitting there, his eyes on me, made my blood run cold. He would certainly tell Paul that I'd been in here with Nick. It didn't bother me because I wasn't over Paul – I was, the fact that I moved in with Nick and planned to marry him was pure proof – but it was because I'd lied to him. I'd flat out told Paul that I wasn't sure I was breaking up with him because of Nick, but I had been. At the time, it was just a white lie that I'd told myself, but now I knew that, the moment I'd broken things off with Paul, I'd already been hopelessly in love with Nick.

Nick picked up on my emotions as he put the car in park. He turned to look at me, reaching over to brush my bangs out of my eyes. "Elsie, you don't have to go in. It will only take me a few minutes, and then I'll be back out here and we can go on to Caleb's."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I want to go in. Who cares if people see me with you? I _love_ you, and that's all that matters." I told him.

He appreciated the gesture, but he knew that I was still worried that someone would tell Paul, who would tell his mother, who would not hesitate to gossip about me. I was sure that she gossiped about me while I'd been dating Paul. The woman, while I had liked her, had absolutely no digression when it came to secrets and rumors. She was not someone that I would trust with my deepest thoughts, while I could picture myself confiding in Alexandra. Nick's mother just beamed a sense of understanding and matronly care.

"You still don't have to go inside." Nick said, looking at me. His eyes lingered on my one bare shoulder. My shirt was a single off-the-shoulder, something that my mom had bought me before she died. It always made me think of her, and I almost never wore it unless something important was coming up. I considered my impression on the Jacobsons to be important, so it was the perfect fit.

"I'll be fine," I told him, reaching for my door handle. Nick reached out to take my arm, but he knew that I was stubborn and that I wouldn't back down from this. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, but he climbed out of his side of the car and met me at the front. Martin looked up, his interest piqued. Of course he would be interested. He had never liked me, and he was probably relieved when I didn't show up at the videogame store with Paul anymore.

Nick didn't want to touch me because he didn't want Martin to create any problems for me, but I seriously craved the calm that he would bring me. I wasn't usually a nervous person, but today was going to end up killing me. First I had to deal with that first run in with my life before Nick, and then I had to do my best to prove worthy of him at his family picnic. My nerves were shot.

Nick walked in front of me, and when he reached for the door, I took it as a chance for me to brush my hand against his. It wasn't as good as when he held my hand or kissed me, or even hugged me, but it was enough to give me a breath of calm. Martin's eyes were on us as Nick headed straight for the new release shelf. Kyle was annoyed that he hadn't gotten the game yet, since apparently he and Lynne had an ongoing bet about who could win the most rounds of something. I just wanted to get in and get out.

_Are you sure you're okay?_

_I'm fine, Nick. It's just a videogame, and it's just one of Paul's friends._ I told him, biting down on my lip. Nick knew that I was feeling exceptionally anxious, but there was nothing that he could really do about it. _He doesn't really care that I'm gone, anyway. Besides, I'm happier with you._

_Whatever you say._ Nick glanced over his shoulder at me. I liked the fact that he was so worried about me. It was interesting because I hated it when my brothers or anyone else tried to protect me, but when it came to Nick, it felt completely different. It almost made me proud that he wanted to protect me, that he worried about me so much.

Nick plucked the game off the shelf, and I bit down on my lip as I glanced around the room. It was so weird to be back here. I'd associated this place with Paul for years, and to suddenly be here without him was strange. It was also weird because I'd just flat out hated this place so much because it was physical proof that Paul found his games more interesting or important than me half the time. Nick brushed past me when he walked by, still keeping up his casual façade while trying to calm me down at least a little bit. I stayed where I was for a moment, staring at the rack of games in front of me so it didn't seem like I was glued to his side.

Nick paid for the game, and I took a step towards the door. My eyes had been on him the entire time, but when I turned to the front door I recognized the car that had just parked. My heart immediately dropped in my stomach, and Nick, who had tried to make some sort of small talk with Martin, paused mid-sentence to look over his shoulder at me. I was sure that he felt the sudden change in my heartbeat and was wondering what had happened to make me freak out. His gaze followed mine, and I could practically feel the burst of anger from him. I was so shocked to feel that from him that I stood there for a second, completely frozen. Nick really didn't like Paul. In his mind, I could see that it was partially because Paul had been my boyfriend when I'd met my significant, and Nick didn't like to think of me belonging to anybody else. But there was more to it than that. He hated that Paul "didn't see what he had" when I was still dating him, that he made me cry, that he didn't trust me when all I ever did was trust him, and he hated that when I'd broken up with him, Paul hadn't tried to make me stay at all. He hated the fact that I'd spent almost three years with a guy who, in his mind, didn't deserve me.

I blinked as Paul stepped out of his car. He was looking down at his cell phone and flipping through his wallet, probably to see if he had any cash on him. Paul was always looking for money, because he blew it all on games. The gift card that he'd given me was still in my wallet – maybe I would give it to Kyle on his birthday or something – and I was suddenly very aware of the fact that the last time I'd been here with these same people, my life had completely and drastically changed. Nick picked up his purchase, now bagged with the receipt, and I lowered my head, as if I could make myself disappear.

Paul looked up into the windows and paused for a moment. He hesitated for half a second before continuing on, stepping onto the sidewalk and reaching for the door. My heart was trying to work its way out of my chest, I was so panicked at seeing him again. Part of it was the fact that I'd broken up with him not that long ago, and it had been for another guy – the very guy who I was in here today with. The other part of it was anger. I didn't know if it was fueled by me or Nick, but I was angry at Paul for not really caring about me to fight for me when I broke up with him. He didn't even try to get me to stay with him. He didn't even want me to explain anything to him. In fact, he almost seemed _relieved_ that I'd broken up with him, and that had hurt me far worse than the fact that he and his mother would gossip about me.

With the door opened and the three of us standing in the same little bubble of space, I felt like I was going to throw up. There wasn't any guilt on my part, because it hadn't been my fault that Nick and I had imprinted, and it wasn't my fault that I'd fallen in love with him. There wasn't any unresolved romantic feelings for him – I was completely over him, and there wasn't even a chance that I would turn around and ask him to take me back. It was just that feeling that this shouldn't have happened, that this was going to be awkward. It was the sort of scene that people see in movies to reveal the love triangle, though this really wasn't a triangle of any sort, because Paul generally lacked the love required for a love triangle.

Still, I had no idea what I was supposed to do, say, or act. Nick, thank God for him, pretended that we were just friends. He opened his mouth and said, "I guess we'll get this to Kyle so he'll stop complaining about it."

"Yeah," I agreed. We didn't touch as we moved towards the door. Paul had stepped inside, and he was watching me quietly. I was sure that he and Martin were sharing glances as Nick pretended not to recognize Paul. I kept my gaze adverted. We were almost out the door, and to the safety of Nick's car, when I heard him say it.

It was uncharacteristic of him that I thought I hadn't heard right. Paul had never been flat out rude before. Sure, there were times when he got mean to the players that he talked to over his headset while he was playing a videogame, but he rarely said anything rude to me. The most he'd ever said against me was to comment on Hanna's lack of understanding or peace. But he'd never directed a cruel comment to me, which was why I was so caught off guard. "So, are you having fun with my sloppy seconds?" He said it under his breath, like he didn't intend for either of us to hear it. But Paul had always been bad at making those types of comments, and now it had come back to bite him.

Nick stopped. We had almost made it, but now Paul had done it. Nick tensed, not only physically but also in his mind. I could see that he was getting ready to spring into action, because he was going to defend me no matter what. "As I recall, she broke up with you. You're _her_ sloppy seconds." Nick replied. Martin was instantly interested, leaning forward on the counter. His gum popped loudly in the awkward silence of the room. I reached out and grabbed Nick's arm, hauling him towards the door with me.

"This is the guy you broke up with me for?" Paul asked, turning to look at me. I could tell in his eyes that he was annoyed that Nick had said that about him, but the rest of his face was hiding the emotion spectacularly. Paul openly looked at Nick in the fashion that said he wasn't impressed with what he saw. It was all bravado, of course. Paul couldn't take Nick if his life depended on it. The most he could win was a thumb war. Maybe.

I wasn't sure what to say to that, and Nick, who was now annoyed that Paul had had the guts to say anything, seemed to snap. He reached out and put an arm around my waist, drawing me into his side. "Funny, huh? I see it as pretty logical, since I treat her ten times better than you ever did." Nick's words were simple and to the point, but they cut Paul like a knife. He knew that he wasn't the best boyfriend in the world, but he'd wholeheartedly agreed with me on my terms of perfectionism. When I looked back, I could tell that he liked to use that little part of me against me. Paul had always kept me around because I was safe and I wouldn't try to change who he was. But for someone else to come in and start talking about our relationship had set him off.

Paul was the one who reached out first. I had no idea what he was planning to do, but I slid in between the two of them and put a hand on Paul's arm. "Just drop it, Paul. Everyone knows we're over. Now you can go find someone that will accept the fact that you like TV games better than them, okay?" With that, Nick and I stepped out of the videogame store.

Quickly, we headed straight for the car. I climbed in the passenger side without looking back up to the store. Nick sat down heavily in his seat and slammed the car door shut. His hands were shaking, he was so angry. It turned out that Paul, who hadn't really cared about me all that much, had an animosity towards me, and it was clear that he hadn't hesitated to say that I'd left him for someone else. It didn't matter to me anymore, whether or not he talked about me. It was clear to almost everyone that our relationship hadn't exactly been high school sweetheart worthy. It was only a matter of time before Paul and I went our separate ways. And if they ever met Nick, who could blame me?

I reached out to touch Nick's hand, which was squeezing the steering wheel so tight I thought that maybe he'd indent it or something. He sighed and looked up at me. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. You're not his sloppy seconds, Elsie. You're perfect the way you are."

I gave him a smile. "I love you," I told him in a whisper.

"I love you more." He answered, leaning towards me. He caught himself last second, because even though we'd made it clear in the store that we were together, he still didn't want me to be upset over the fact that the women of the town might think that I was some sort of cheating girlfriend. But it didn't matter to me anymore, because the only people that mattered was Nick and his family, and they understood. I leaned in, closing the distance between us, and kissed him in the car. If Martin or Paul looked up, they see the two of us lip-locked in our parking spot, but it didn't matter to me. Nick reacted to me, his hand resting on the side of my neck. My mouth opened under his, and he didn't hesitate to deepen the kiss.

We pulled away from each other, and I leaned my forehead against his. "I love you most," I told him, and he smiled before giving me a quick kiss on my forehead and leaning back to put the car into reverse.

**Not only will they have Ace problems, but they'll also have regular past-relationship/brother problems. AHH. Look forward to the next chapter, because something very important is happening (DOUBLE AHH.) Let's see if you can guess what it is. (;**

**Thanks for reading. Please don't forget to leave me a review! Peace. (:**


	15. Chapter 15

**BreeTico – Ahh good idea, but no, not so dangerous. Things are starting to look up for Elsie and Nick. At least for this chapter. (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

By time we pulled up at Caleb's house, the street was lined with cars. I swallowed nervously. Now that the whole ordeal with Paul was over – or, at least, pushed out of my mind for the time being – I now only had to worry about the Jacobson picnic. I was more worried that they wouldn't approve of me. I kept telling myself that they would, because Nick's cousins, parents, and grandma already liked me, but his family was _huge_, and there was bound to be one person that I didn't get along with.

Nick pulled the car up to the curb. He put it in park and then glanced at me. He knew that I was nervous about this, but he didn't have any worries. He was sure that his family would love me because he did. I really wanted to believe him, but my own insecurities were rampaging inside me. He reached out and put his hand on the side of my neck, his thumb smoothing over my jawline. I bit down on my lip as his calm washed over me. Sometimes I wondered if he was tired of me, because it seemed like he was always making me feel better. I was just so _unstable_

"You're perfect. You're fine just the way you are." He said quietly. "I wish you wouldn't stress about meeting the rest of the family. Sure, they're a huge bunch, but they already love you. Think about your brothers with me. They knew you loved me, so they let you come live with me. It's the same principle. They know that I love you, that we're significants, that we're perfect for each other. And honestly, Elsie, they _do_ care for you. My parents have already lectured me on the importance of keeping you safe because they already think of you as their daughter-in-law. Caleb and Maggie were the first to tell me to be on guard when it came to protecting you and keeping the Watsons away. Every single one of them cares about you, whether or not they know you. But when they do get to know you, they'll love you even more."

I looked away from the dashboard and into his eyes. His beautiful, blue turquoise eyes. The ones that had looked directly into my soul and seen the real me. He'd chosen _me_, out of all the girls he'd met in his daily life, his soul had chosen mine and mine had chosen his. We were meant to be together, and if his family couldn't stand it well… it was their problem, because the two of us were stuck together forever. I took a deep breath, his words finally making sense to me. When I thought about it, there was nothing for me to worry about. But then again, I'd always been worried that people wouldn't like me. It was one of those deep-rooted fears that live in most people, and mine had decided to rear its ugly head.

"I know you're right." I whispered to him. He leaned forward to kiss my temple, his breath warm on my hair. I closed my eyes and wrapped my fingers around his. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze and then opened up his car door. His fingers slid from mine, and I took another deep breath before opening my car door. He was already on his way to my side, but I beat him to it. It was cute, how he always tried to open the door for me. And they say that chivalry is dead.

Instead of walking up to the front door, Nick led me around to the side of the house. He motioned towards the fence as we walked. _The Jacobsons are a really traditional bunch. Picnics are _only _held outdoors_. His voice slid through my head, such a welcoming sound. I nodded as he reached the gate and hit the latch. It opened, swinging outward. Nick skirted around the gate, his hand tight on mine. He paused to turn and close to gate and I took my first glance of the backyard. I nearly choked seeing all the people out here. And to make matters worse, they were all staring at me, their eyes trained on my every movement. Unconsciously, I tightened my hand on Nick's, and he drew his hand away. Panic started in my chest before I realized that he was just slipping an arm around my back, his fingers hooking into the belt loop of my jeans. _Take a deep breath, Elsie. They're not going to bite. They might bark so much that you'll want to be deaf, but they won't hurt you_.

"Elsie, Nick! You two made it on time." Alexandra said easily, a smile plastered on her face. One thing I loved about her was that she wasn't the type to give false smiles. Every single time she glanced at me, she was being completely open and honest. I never really met people like that before, that didn't care what everyone thought as they walked around with their heart on their sleeve. It was a good thing that she was a Jacobson, if they were as close-knit as Nick said they were. She always had someone to protect her. People like her, with her optimistic attitude, were likely to get their hearts broken more often than not.

"Hey man," A boy said, stepping from the crowd. A shorter blonde girl held onto his fingers as he stepped forward. "Please tell me you got Zombie Death Three," He added. One of the men standing next to him snorted loudly and pat him on the back. He looked over at me, and said, "Good to see you again, Elsie."

I forced out a nervous smile. "Hi, um," _Kyle_, Nick's supplied for me. "Kyle." I finished. He beamed like he was glad that I remembered his name. I held onto my smile as Nick handed him the game we'd bought.

"Thanks," He said, turning to look at the pretty girl next to him. "It looks like our war continues." She laughed, and once the exchange was over, it seemed like everyone sort of calmed down. They weren't all staring directly at me anymore, but their eyes still watched me as we stepped into the crowd. Daniel and Nick were talking, and I had completely zoned out. I was staring at a pot of bright yellow flowers on the far side of the yard when someone weaved their arm around mine.

"Maggie," I said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You scared me."

"Sorry," She said easily. "I could see that you were completely focused on those flowers. They're geraniums," She added, knowing that I had no idea what they were. She flashed me a warm smile. "Don't worry about everyone. They're just interested in you because you're new. Think about it – you're the third imprint that has been known in the last twenty years. And believe me, they like you, even the ones that have no idea who you are. I thought the same thing when I was in your position. How could they like me if they've never met me? But they love you because you're family, and because you've chosen Nick." She nodded towards the biggest group of the entire picnic. They gathered around a table that Caleb's mom, Rachel, had set out. "When they get to know you, they'll love you all the more. Jacobsons are really accepting, and honestly, similar people attract. All of the Jacobsons have something that's relatable to everyone else, and there are bound to be things that you and the others have in common."

I was suddenly aware of the fact that Nick was trying to worm his way into my mind. The moment we'd stepped into the backyard, all of my mental walls had immediately shot up. As far as I knew, Maggie was the only mind-reader that could pick up on _everyone_, and not just their significant, but I couldn't be for sure. I didn't really mind Maggie digging around in my head because I liked her, but anyone else…. Anyway, it was clear that my defenses weren't very strong, because Maggie could read me like a book. Nick didn't have to try very hard to get into my head.

"Pay attention to your father," I said offhandedly. All three of them stopped and looked at me. Maggie had a knowing smile on her face and Daniel looked a little at a loss for words, maybe because he realized that his son had been ignoring him. Nick beamed like I'd just given him a prize and planted a kiss on my temple, drawing me even closer into his side.

A young woman stepped up all of a sudden, infiltrating the small group of people that I'd built around myself. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to meet my nephew's significant." She gave her name, but I only halfway heard because, over her shoulder, I could see a huge crowd of Jacobsons looking excited at the prospect of meeting me. My stomach plummeted as I pasted a smile on my face. Maggie nudged me with her shoulder, and Nick's fingers dug into my side, giving me a comforting reminder that he was standing right next to me.

"Um, hi. It's nice to meet you, too." I told her. People were practically in a line to introduce themselves. Each and every one of them gave Maggie a respective look as they stepped up to congratulate Nick and me and introduce themselves. I glanced over at Maggie, who was looking a little stressed, but she stood with poise. Caleb came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. As she turned her head to look at him, I caught the glimpse of her tattoo on her neck. It was half of a moon blending into half of a sun. I had no idea what it meant, but I had the feeling that it was something important. I didn't get to ask because the next person shook my hand, taking my attention away from Maggie's strange tattoo.

After introductions had been made – I remembered almost no names – Nick brought me to the food table. He handed me a paper plate, and we moved down the line. It seemed like Rachel had outdone herself with a line of different barbeque dishes. There was also an array of sides, ranging from corn to salad, and a lone line of desserts, including a huge plate of honeybuns. Maggie indulged herself on the last dish, piling honeybuns onto her plate. She looked up and gave me a smile and a shrug, like she couldn't help her obvious addiction to the food.

I got a little bit of everything, and then Nick led me to a table. He put his plate down and then pulled out a chair for me. Luckily, Maggie slid into the seat right next to mine. It was sort of nice to have someone besides Nick know that I was panicking deep down inside. And I actually really liked Maggie. It was nice to have someone that wanted to be my friend. Thinking of friends reminded me of Hanna, who I had only talked to on the phone. It had been a long time since we'd hung out. I picked through my food, my mind focused on the best friend that I had slowly been drawing away from. It was hard to hold up human relationships after I'd found out that I was no longer human. I hadn't even talked to my _brothers_ since I'd moved out of the house, and I'd promised them that I would stay in contact.

Nick took my chin with his hand, turning my face to look at him. He rested his forehead against mine, sucking away all my anxiety. It seemed like all I ever did was be anxious. It made me feel bad, but the emotion only lasted for a short moment before Nick drew it away from me. _Don't worry about your brothers right now. I promise that I'll make sure you talk to them. In fact, we should have a dinner with them. I know that you're willing to stay with me forever, but I'd like it if your brothers liked me, too. I don't want to cause problems with your family_. It had been the most that I'd ever heard from him. It was practically a monologue.

_Thanks_, I said back, giving him a smile. _And I know they'll like you eventually. They're just worried that someone will treat me badly. But after they see the two of us together… they'll realize that you'll do anything for me._

_We'll make plans with them. Now go on and eat, or you'll regret it later. Rachel is one of the best cooks ever_. He released my chin and picked up his fork. I noticed that a few of his family members were watching, especially the younger ones, ones that probably had never imprinted. Nick had told me that Kyle's parents were the last to imprint. That meant that everyone under forty had never imprinted. And since it was a huge thing, they were probably just as interested in it as Rodney was. I glanced down the table, ignoring the eyes on us. Rodney was seated at the far end of the table. I found myself wishing that he'd seated himself closer to me, just to have someone else around that I could add to my allies. I knew that everyone here was on my side, but it was obvious that I'd had trust issues. It was hard for me to lay my life into hands of people that I'd only met once or twice and barely spoken to.

I picked up my fork and speared a piece of sausage, dragging it through the pile of mashed potatoes on my plate. Nick had been right. Rachel was one of the best cooks ever.

# # #

With my stomach full from lunch, Nick made plans for us. It seemed that before he'd met me, he'd worked on the ranch with his father and brother. Apparently, there was an endless amount of things to do. According to him, there was always something that needing fixing or cleaning or updating. I thought about offering to help him – I wasn't a stranger to hard work – but he'd already made plans in his head. He'd just been keeping them away from me.

"Where are we?" I asked as we pulled up at a little wooden building. It was surrounded by a series of other small buildings, but from where we'd parked I couldn't see a sign. I opened up the door and could smell a distinct animal smell. I looked over the top of the car at my significant. He just flashed me a smile. He didn't even say anything. The feeling of being in the dark was annoying, but it was also sort of exciting. Obviously, he wanted to give me a surprise gift. "Nicholas Jacobson." I said sternly.

He laughed out loud. "You forgot the middle name."

"Don't tempt me." I replied. "Where are we?"

"You're trying to ruin the surprise." He said, taking my hand. He led me to the largest building. He pushed open the door and led me inside. Immediately, I recognized the room. It had to be a vet's office. I'd volunteered at one for a short while when I was in high school for my required community service hours. I turned to look at him, eyebrows raised. The man behind the counter stood up. It looked like he was wearing a sort of scrubs. "Nick Jacobson," He said, leaning on the countertop. "It's good to see you again. You've been a stranger lately." He said.

"Sorry David." He said, holding out his hand to the man. They shook, and he added, "I've been busy with school lately, along with some other stuff."

David's eyes, dark brown and surrounded by fine wrinkles, alighted on me. "I can see that."

Nick threw an arm around my shoulder. "David, this is Elsie. She's my fiancée." I nearly choked hearing the word, my cheeks flushing.

"Does she know that?" David laughed.

"Well, she _will_ be." Nick amended.

David grinned at me. "It's nice to meet you. I'm David."

"Elsie," I repeated, even though Nick had already said my name. "And it's nice to meet you, too." I was sort of tired of saying that phrase. It seemed like that was all I'd been saying all day.

Nick leaned against the counter and gave me a grin. "I've worked here with David when I was fifteen."

"And he quit when he was eighteen," David said. "Darn college, taking away my best worker."

I smiled at him, at a loss of words. Nick laughed and said, "Best worker? I cleaned. Swept the floors, wiped down the rooms, and on occasion, I was lucky enough to clean out the overnight kennels and make sure the blankets had been washed." David cracked a grin, and Nick rubbed his hand up and down my arm, warming me. "David, I'd like to see that gib."

David nodded and waved for us to join him behind the desk. "Come on back." He said. Nick led the way, pushing open the door. We stepped out of the clinic's lobby. A chorus of barks exploded from the back room, ranging from deep barks to high-pitched, short yaps. David continued on and opened the door. It led out to the sidewalk. He glanced to his right, and I followed his line of sight. There was a kennel of dogs out there, all of them watching, their tails wagging. David continued on to the next building. He gave the door a hard shove and led us into a room of cages. Nearly every single cage was full.

My heart immediately melted. I'd always been a fan of animals, no matter what they were. But the big-eyed kittens seemed to be staring into my soul, begging to be loved. A soft "aw" came from me before I could hold back. David and Nick chuckled as the older man reached for one of the cages. He pulled open the door and reached in. After a moment, he pulled out a soft-looking black and gray striped tabby. The cat's large golden-green eyes set on me, and he gave an easy meow.

"This," David said, holding the cat to his broad chest. "Is Scout. As you can tell, he's a gray tabby. And neutered. I can't tell you how many people bring in little kittens that they can't take care of." He told me, giving me a wink.

He held out the cat to me. I stood there for a moment before reaching out. The cat immediately snuggled into me, his little wet nose digging underneath my ear. "He thinks he's a dog," David told me. I laughed as the cat purred as I pet him.

"And you said he's good outside?"

"He's spent his entire life as a barn cat. He'll be just fine outside." David said.

"We'll take him." Nick replied. I was sure my eyes got bigger than saucers. The cat seemed to purr louder, as if he knew that Nick had just said that we would adopt him. He was adorable and warm and soft, and it was like instant adoration. I'd never had a cat before, though. But I was definitely willing to take him home.

"Great. The papers are in the other building." As we walked back to the main building, David said, "He's got a microchip and everything. We feed them two small scoops in the morning and at night." I tuned him out, completely focused on the little bundle of fur in my arms. He couldn't be that old, and he was fairly light. His eyes were darting all over the place, trying to take in everything around him.

Nick and I headed into the main office. Nick signed some papers for the place, which was obviously a vet clinic _and_ a shelter. Scout had lived in David's barn for the first few years of his life before he decided to move into town, where there were no barns for the cat to lounge in.

I held the cat all the way out to the car. He climbed into his side of the car after opening my car door for me. I smoothed my hand over the cat's head. "Should we change his name?" Nick asked me.

I shrugged. "I like Scout." I said. The cat purred loudly. I could feel it coming from his chest, his fur warm and soft.

"Yeah? Me, too." Nick replied. He reached over and pet Scout. "So, are you surprised?"

"Completely."

"I knew you wanted an animal, and a barn could always use a barn cat." He said. "My mom used to have a cat. It died a good seven or eight years ago. Besides, it's a big step for us. It's our first pet together." He gave me a smile, and I laughed. Scout snuggled against me, and I wrapped my arms around him. It was sort of like having an extension of Nick, in a weird way. He was a part of Scout just like I was. He was _ours_.

# # #

Alexandra was excited about Scout. She cooed at the cat. Daniel and Rodney stood in the living room, rolling their eyes, clearly amused. Nick sat down in the rocking chair by the fire place, slowly moving back and forth. Alexandra and I set Scout on the couch and pampered him. He purred loudly, his eyes closed and his ears flicking around the room. His thin tail moved, a constant beat on my arm.

"He's _adorable_." Alexandra said. "He reminds me of Tommy." She glanced up at me, and added, "He was my old tom. Daniel had gotten him for me." I glanced over at Nick and gave him a stern look. Apparently, he hadn't come up with the cute idea on his own. But there was still something cute about the fact that he'd done something for me which had been based off something that his father had done for his mother.

"Well, I guess we should get him settled in the barn." Alexandra said. She nodded towards Nick, and he stood up. I picked up Scout, and we headed out towards the barn. I stepped carefully, my finger rubbing over the thin, bright red collar that we'd bought for Scout on the way home. It had a cute little jingle bell and a nametag with his name and Nick's cell phone number printed on it. Nick opened the barn door and reached for the light switch. The horses all made noise, excited by the fact that there was someone out here. I saw the horse that I'd ridden yesterday, Peanut. He snorted in my direction as Nick and I went to sit Scout on a bale of hay. I didn't want to leave him out here. He purred and pressed his head to my thigh before turning and jumping onto the thin edge of one of the horse's stalls.

"He seems pretty happy." I said.

Nick sat down on the bale of hay next to me. I brought my knees up to my chest and snuggled up to his side. It was a good thing that Nick didn't mind cuddling, because I loved it. There was just something so perfect about his arms around me, pressed against his side, and the magical feeling that it was exactly where I was supposed to be. All of my life, I'd been questioning – why did my biological parents give me up? Why did I have a tattoo on my arm that only I could see? – and one of the most recent had been where I was supposed to fit in. But Nick answered that question for me perfectly.

Nick rested his chin on the top of my head. I was practically sitting in his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around me as my head rested on his chest. I could hear the thumps of our hearts beating together in his chest. Interestingly enough, it was like I could discern his heartbeat from mine. I ran my finger over the lettering on his chest, and Nick pulled me a little closer.

"I love you," He told me. Scout purred from where he'd settled down next to Peanut's stall. It was obvious that my cat liked the horse just as much as I did.

"I love you more." I told him, playing that game that he'd played with me. I could feel it becoming one of those cheesy little things that are absolutely adorable.

"I love you most," Nick finished, a chuckle erupting from him. He'd come to the same conclusion that I did, but it was sort of nice to have one of those super cute and cheesy things that belonged to just us. I looked up at him and he reached out to tilt my chin so he could kiss me. I could see his intention clearly in his head.

Which was why it was surprising that, when his fingers touched my neck, sliding up to my chin, that I got a jolt instead of a kiss. It shot through me, traveling down my veins. My heart immediately sped up, and weirdly enough, I could feel his jump like mine. My skin was hot, but my veins were running like ice water. It felt like… like imprinting. I gasped, my fingers tightening on the front of his jacket. His arms tightened around me.

"What's happening?" I forced out. I was scared that this was some sort of reverse imprint, like for some reason I'd rejected him or he'd rejected me. The thought of losing him scared me enough that I was sure I was going to have a heart attack. I felt a little lightheaded, even.

Nick chuckled and gave me a quick kiss. "This is it, Elsie. We're ascending."

**Cliffhanger! Yay! Ha, now you'll have to wait. [Cue evil grin.]**

**Anyway, I told you things were going to get exciting in this next chapter! And the goodness continues in the next, though there might be an oh-no twist, because I love those.**

**ANYWAY, I hoped you liked this chapter. Leave me a review! And take a guess on Elsie's and Nick's abilities! Until next time… peace! (:**


	16. Chapter 16

**BreeTico – Haha! I love cliffhangers (: And yes, I don't think getting a kitty cat with three dogs would be a very good idea. Even if they are cute and cuddly. Sigh.**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelley Crane.**

I locked my arms around Nick. I was practically pulling myself into his lap. I'd been scared to death that this wasn't the ascension, it was something else. He hugged me tightly to his chest as the feeling of imprinting shot through me. It was like my veins cooled, but my skin was burning hot with a fever. I pressed my face into Nick's neck, scrunching up the front of his shirt with my fingertips. It was magical, sort of like floating in mid-air. It was like it was only the two of us, frozen in time.

Slowly, it went away. The burning hot feeling on my skin melted away, and the icy cold of my veins warmed. I shivered, and Nick tightened his grip on me. It felt amazing, but it had also scared me out of my wits. I gave a nervous laugh, and he laughed out loud, like it was the funniest thing that had happened to him in a long time. He stood up suddenly, drawing me away from my seat on the hay bale. His hands tightened on my waist as he lifted me up in the air for a brief second before drawing me in close to a hug that practically crushed my ribs. It made sense for him to be excited. He'd been waiting for this moment for the last nineteen, almost twenty, years of his life. And he was starting to think that he was never going to get it. This was the true meaning of being an Ace.

Within seconds of putting me down, Nick lifted my chin so that I looked directly into his eyes. His mind barely brushed against mine, and it was like an instant connection. It was so much stronger than it had been before. I didn't even have to try to read his mind, and it wasn't like I was even digging for thoughts anymore. It was basically like everything was laid out for me to see. Right before my eyes, I could see pictures of him and Rodney growing up, playing baseball and racing on bicycles. As my mind delved deeper into his, there was an intense pulling feeling, like he was yanking me into who _he_ was. I got the feeling of all sorts of memories, but there was also a burst of his present time, too. And, to my shock, his present was mostly filled of _me_. There was an image of me while I was sleeping, pressed against his side, a faint smile on my face. There was me standing in front of him, looking up into his eyes. Then there was me, standing in a videogame shop, with a broken purse and a look of wonder on my face. Interestingly enough, he seemed to center on that very moment when my purse had snapped and he'd made a chivalrous move to help me pick up my stuff. That had been the moment that had set off our imprint, really. If I had a purse that was fully intact, then Nick would've never tried to help me, and we would've gone our separate ways. I shivered at the thought.

I was just starting to get a read on the little things about him – books, movies, and songs that he liked – when suddenly there was a wall, blocking me out. I blinked a few times and looked up at him. I was sure that the mask of hurt was on my face, and he shook his head, pulling me into his chest. "I'm sorry, Elsie. It's just… well, there are things that you don't know about with Aces just yet. And it's hard for me to sit there and let you dig around in my head while I'm conscious." He bent a little closer to me, pressing a kiss on my cheek. "Wait until I'm asleep for that," He whispered. A shiver ran through me at his words, and he gave a low chuckle.

"What's so different about now and before?" I asked quietly.

"Before, we were just imprinted. We were tied together, but we moved around each other. I could get a read on you if I tried and vice versa. But now, after our ascension, we're in tune with each other. Two instruments that harmonize perfectly," He said, giving me a musical analogy. I smiled at him, because it actually made sense like that. I could picture myself as a piano and him as a guitar or violin. He just seemed like he would be a wood instrument. He seemed to pick up on that, and it made him laugh. "It's literally like cake for us to get into each other's mind, now. But you can still block me, if you want to."

"You're the only person allowed in my mind," I whispered to him. He leaned forward, and just before his lips were about to press against mine, I shrugged and added, "Well, you and Maggie."

"Way to ruin the moment," He whispered to me, his lips brushing against mine as he spoke. His blue eyes focused on mine as his hand brushed up the side of my neck. He leaned forward and kissed me, and this time it felt different. It wasn't just a perfect kiss anymore. It was a fiery _needy_ kiss, one that I could feel all the way to my toes and in every strand of hair. _This_ was what it was like to find a soul mate.

He leaned back from me and gave me an easily smile. "Do you feel any different? Do you feel the pull of your ability?" He asked me quietly. That was right. I got an ability with the ascension. That was sort of scary. I'd seen Maggie use hers, and I'd seen other family members use theirs. I wondered what _I_ would have, and what it would say about me.

"What's it supposed to be like?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "It's different for everyone. What are you drawn to?"

I pulled away from his embrace and slowly walked past the hay bales. I put my hand on the railing of one of the horse stalls. Scout meowed and started towards me, pushing his head underneath my chin before brushing his tail underneath my nose. I ran a hand over his back, looking into the horse stall. Peanut snorted at me, his nose rising to sniff at my fingers, as if I held a snack for him. I continued to walk away from him, stepping towards the open doors of the barn. With a deep breath, I stepped outside and looked towards the house. The night was just starting to fall, but there was plenty of sunlight for me to see the house. I thought I even caught a glance at Alexandra through the window. I was still focused on her when my eyes caught the glint of something. In the open pasture nearby, there was a trough filled with water. I could hear Nick come up behind me as I reached out and touched the surface of the water. It rippled around my fingers, but strangely enough, it was like it created _waves_ around me. Shocked, I withdrew my fingers. Things really started to get weird, though, when the water _followed_ the arc of my hand. I practically screeched, and the water dropped from my hand, splashing onto the ground.

"Whoa," Nick said calmly from right behind me. He reached over to touch my hand, and there was a sudden shock between us. We both jumped, and then looked at our hands. Mine had little droplets of water, and his seemed to have little sparks of energy dancing in between his fingertips. I could tell that he was freaking out by it just as much as I was. This just seemed so _wrong_. Nick marveled at his hands for a moment before pointing out two fingers to the sky. Within a second, a bolt of light shot from him and into the sky. It only took a second for a low rumble to move across the empty expanse above.

"Lightning," Nick said quietly. "Cool," He whispered. I rolled my eyes, and he stared at his hand. He could definitely give someone a good shock, now. He glanced over at me, then to the trough that we were standing in front of. "Elsie, I think you might have some sort of… affinity for water." He told me. "My aunt, Caleb's mom, can control metal. And Peter, his dad, he can mess around with minerals. I mean, he can like, move the salt shaker because of all the salt in it." He told me. "I think you might have something to do with water. And if I do lightning, and your power complements mine… can you do rain?" He asked me.

"Rain? You want me to make it rain?" I repeated.

He shrugged. "Give it a try. It can't hurt."

I stood there, staring at him blankly for a moment, wondering if he'd gone crazy. But who was I kidding? I'd fallen for his soul mate charade, and that had proven to be real. And then I'd jumped at the chance to living with him. I'd met his family, and I _knew_ that what they were saying wasn't false. It would be messed up for me to assume that he'd be lying to me now. There were things that I just couldn't explain with normal terms of logic. I guess this just had to be chalked up as another one of those. "And how do you want me to do that?" I asked him.

"It's part of you. You feel it and pull from it." He told me.

I closed my eyes and tried to imagine a little part of me that was obsessed with water. I was trying not to smile at the thought of a miniature me surrounded by buckets of water in my head, but that's when I started to _really_ feel it. There was the urge to just… _twist_ the water. So I did. I kept my eyes closed and focused on the fluffy white clouds I'd seen before. I just had to give them a few mental tugs, and…. Within seconds, rain was pouring down on me. I ducked, partially raising my hands. Water seemed to deflect off of my palms. Nick stood beside me, his hair soaked.

He gave a short laugh and motioned towards my hands. "Now _that_ is awesome!" He said, reaching out to me. I was worried for a second that he would shock me, but I could feel the lines of his electricity. They were dancing over my skin, but they didn't hurt. Not me, anyway. With my concentration broken, the rain started to lighten up until it was just a tiny sprinkle. Nick pulled up the hood of his jacket and wrapped an arm around me, leading me towards the house. He practically picked me up off of my feet in his eagerness to tell his family that the two of us were ascended.

Nick pulled open the door and shuffled me inside. He slipped in behind me, closing the door. Our shoes squeaked on the smoothed out, stained concrete floors. I slipped my sandals off, brushing a hand over my now-wet shirt. Nick shook his head, sending droplets of water flying through the air. I ducked to avoid them, but it was like they just hit an invisible wall around and fell to the floor. "Wow," I whispered, completely in awe.

I turned to look at Nick, but my words got caught in my throat. He _looked_ different. It had been pretty dark outside, and with only the faint barn lights to see, I hadn't been able to tell a difference. But when I looked at him now, I could see the differences in his face. His chin and nose were a little more chiseled, and his eyes were more vibrant. His hair seemed like it would behave perfectly from now on. As I leaned against him, I could tell that he was stronger, now. I was sure that the muscles he had from working out on the ranch were bound to be tighter than before. "You look different." I accused.

"It's just the ascension. I can't really explain why it does that." He told me.

"Do I look different?" I asked, glancing down at me. I could already tell I did. I was more… shapely, I was sure. Obviously, I had to be right, because a warm flush moved across Nick's cheeks as he nodded. I was pleased that it had made Nick blush, but I was also a little freaked out. How different did I look?

"Not much. You just look older, like I look to you." Nick told me, picking up on my inner rant. "Your brothers will be able to tell something is different, but they could attribute it to new clothes or a different hairstyle. Aces, on the other hand, will notice the mark of the ascension if they've seen you before." He told me.

I wanted to go look in the mirror and see for myself. I opened my mouth to ask him another question, but my words were cut off by the sound of footsteps coming towards us.

Alexandra leaned out of the kitchen. She looked at the two of us, a confused expression on her face. She took in our wet clothes and then consulted the window outside. It was clear that it had rained pretty hard, but it had only poured for a few seconds. "I think we just experienced some freak rainstorm." She said, glaring at the window like it was going to tell her something. Obviously, she wasn't paying much attention to us, or she was bound to notice the differences in her son and me. But then again, we were soaking wet.

"Mom," Nick said. She made a noise to signify that she was listening, but she didn't turn to look. Instead, she leaned over her kitchen sink to get a better look out the window. I could tell that she was looking towards the sky, taking in the strangely colored clouds. They were like a mix between white and gray, slowly going back to the way they were supposed to be. "Mom," Nick repeated.

Alexandra jumped, turning to look at him. "Huh?" She asked, still completely confused as to what had happened. Nick had told me that she could look into the past for brief periods of time. I wondered if she was trying to do that to figure out what had gone awry to make the weather act up.

Nick opened his mouth to tell her that we'd ascended when Rodney stepped into the house. His dad was trailing behind him, stomping off his boots on the mat just outside the door. Rodney pulled off his hat and hung it on the nearby rack. "That was the weirdest rainstorm that's ever passed through here. It had to be an ability."

"But that would be an unusual ability for the Watsons, and they're the only ones that have ever used their powers against us." Alexandra said, a look of worry on her face. All three of them were too worried about a potential attack to pay attention to us.

Rodney shrugged. "They have an echoling, don't they? If they have one of those, how hard would it be for them to have someone that can mess with the weather?" He asked. Alexandra seemed to hook onto the conversation like she was sure they were one hundred percent correct. It sounded probable to _me_, and I knew that it was my fault that there was some freaky temporary weather.

"Hey, man," Nick said to his brother, holding out a hand. I could see in his mind, clear as day, that he was going for one of those guy handshake things. This time, though, he was going to shock Rodney. He thought that it would've been more fun to let them know that way that we ascended instead of just telling them. Especially since they weren't paying attention to us even though we'd tried several times.

Rodney took the bait, reaching out to grab's Nick's hand, his attention still on his dad. The moment their hands met, Rodney let out a curse and yanked his hand away. Alexandra glared at him, motioning towards me. She sort of acted like I'd never heard a curse word in my life. It was sort of amusing, really. As Rodney shook out his hand, I gave him a dazzling smile. "No buzzer required."

"What?" Rodney asked, turning to look at me. I flashed him another grin and wrapped my arm around Nick's.

Nick burst out laughing, and I couldn't help but giggle. Alexandra looked at us for a long time, her eyes narrowed on me. Suddenly, she seemed to get it. Her eyes got big and she gasped loudly, flying to my side. She put a hand on Nick's shoulder and her other grabbed my wrist. "You two ascended!" She exclaimed.

I nodded, and she gave a squeal of excitement. She turned to Daniel, and he clapped Nick on the back. Even Rodney was grinning. This was what every Ace looked forward to in life, and now that Nick and I had achieved it… it was like graduating high school all over again, sort of. People were proud of you, no matter what your grades or social status had been. Here, it didn't matter if I had a bad ability or a good one, they were still proud to call me family.

"So, if Nick shocked me, does that mean you caused the rain?" Rodney asked me.

I nodded. "Apparently, I have an affinity for water, and Nick can control lightning… or, I guess, a form of electricity." Alexandra was practically bouncing off the walls, she was so excited. It really proved why I liked her. She was stoic and responsible, but she also knew how to let loose and have fun.

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Alexandra said. She went to hug Nick, and then she realized that he was still wet from my impromptu rainstorm. She paused for a moment, and then shook her head. She settled for patting her shoulder. It was obvious that she wanted to keep us here so she could talk to us, but I was actually starting to shiver from the cold and we were all tired. "Why don't you two go take showers and warm up? And you might as well go to sleep. It's late and we're all tired." She said.

Nick nodded, and pulled me to our bedroom. He let me go take a shower first, and I hurried to change clothes and wrap up my hair in a towel so Nick could take his shower. I slipped out of the bathroom and thought I heard Alexandra and Daniel in the living room. It just felt like I needed to hear what they were saying. Slowly, I crept down the hall, pressing my back against the wall. I paused at the end of the hallway. Daniel and Alexandra were seated on the couch. Neither of them would be able to see me unless I stepped out a little more.

"I'm excited for them, but what are the Watsons going to do now? They wanted to stop the two of them from ascending. I guess it wouldn't really matter. If Marcus said that they wanted to get rid of them –" Alexandra's voice choked up a little bit here – "Then an ascension shouldn't stop them from trying? They're still in danger, Daniel, and we can't do anything. Even when we get to reunification, there's no guarantee that the council will do anything about it."

"All we can do is make sure they're safe for now. They'll still need to be on the lookout." Daniel replied. "But they still need the chance of being together. It's not fair for them to have a rough life. I don't know what it is, but it seems that imprinting is causing a little more pain than joy nowadays."

"Don't say that," Alexandra whispered. I heard someone move on the couch, probably Daniel going to give his significant some comfort.

"I'm sorry, but it's true. Look at what they did to Caleb and Maggie. And now that they know that Maggie is the Visionary, the Watsons won't risk hurting her or Caleb. It would be a promise of being exiled. But there's nothing protecting Nick and Elsie." He said.

Alexandra sounded like she was about to cry, and I swallowed nervously. "They'll be safe, right?" She asked him.

"I hope so." He replied. After a few moments of silence, I shook my head and slipped back down the hallway, hand over my mouth. They were right. Maggie and Caleb were both protected by her status, but there was nothing to keep me and Nick safe. It was up to us to keep ourselves alive.

# # #

Nick had been fuming when he heard about his parents' conversation. He was angrier that they were right than the fact that they'd been talking about us. It was the same for me. But the only problem was that we couldn't do anything about it. We had to just take it day by day, and survive anything that was thrown at us. We were already protecting ourselves by keeping each other nearby _all the time_, not that it bothered me. The house was safe with the alarm system and everything else. It was the outside world that held dangers. But we couldn't stay holed up in here forever. Besides, my brothers were still waiting to meet Nick's family, and Hanna was still waiting to meet Nick. Part of my life was outside the confines of this house, and he knew it.

Which is probably why he was the first one to say that we couldn't just stay locked up in here. We had to learn to deal with it. Alexandra and Daniel understood, but it still set them on edge. Still, Nick and I figured that we needed to keep from living in fear. That would be exactly what the Watsons would have wanted, and now we could honestly protect ourselves. Nick could shock them out of their wits, and paired with my ability to control nearby water sources, we'd be set, even if it meant electrocuting them or shocking them beyond what Nick had done to Rodney.

Nick had decided that the first step of reclaiming our lives was him meeting my best friend. Hanna had been ecstatic when I'd called to make plans yesterday, and now we were supposed to be going out today. There was a town fair going on in the next town over. Apparently, Nick's parents used to take him and his brother there when they were younger. We figured that it would be a good public place for the two of us to see people that had no idea the lives we were secretly living.

I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, a clip in between my teeth as I struggled to put my hair up. Nick was right – after my ascension, I did look different. There were only slightly changes, but it was still noticeable. My hair had always been dark blonde, but now it had more of a golden tone to it. My eyes, dark brown, had little strands of golden green through them. My lips were a little more full, and I was generally a little more shapely in what Nick had admitted was "good." At least he wasn't saying that I'd gained weight in all the wrong areas or something. Apparently, the ascensions had knowledge of what people found beautiful. But besides just being a little better looking, I was stronger. My arms still looked pretty thing and girly, but I could definitely lift more than I could before. And I had a better balance. I'd learned that when I'd gone to get up in the saddle early this morning for a quick exercise. Sadly, it meant that I still couldn't compare to Nick's grace, which had only grown more so with our ascensions. Of course, my new physical attributes could be chalked up to everyday things – hair dye, the sunlight, and a good face wash.

Nick stood outside of the bathroom door, watching me. I couldn't use my foundation anymore because my skin was just a shade darker than it used to be, and there was no use for my concealer because there wasn't a hint of a blemish or under-eye circles. I still carefully lined my eyes, though, and put mascara on my eyelashes even though my eyelashes had grown darker and longer. "Don't worry about this." Nick told me. "It'll be fine."

"I know," I replied, even though I didn't, and he knew it. There was just something so complicated about bringing my two worlds together. I just wanted to keep the two of them separated, since the last time Nick had met one of my friends it had turned south for that relationship. But it had brought me closer to Nick, so I guess it wasn't really that bad after all. But still. Hanna was different than Paul. She would know if something strange was going on, and she wouldn't hesitate to ask me about it, either.

Nick glanced at his watch just as I twisted the top back on to my tube of mascara. "We should leave if we want to get to her house on time."

"Because God knows that Hanna's all about punctuality." I replied.

**Okay, so, it's sort of a short chapter, sort of a long chapter. I will be the first to admit that the first part was a little rough in writing. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find a way to present their abilities without feeling that it was sort of awkward, so I settled on this. Sorry if you don't like it. But, if you do like it, YAY! (: **

**Anyway, how do you like the abilities? And what do you think is going to happen in the future for Nick and Elsie? Please leave me a review! Thanks for reading! Peace. (:**


	17. Chapter 17

**I am really, really sorry for such a long wait for the update. It seems that I keep coming up with ideas for other fanfictions (which is true in real life with my own personal works-in-progress) and I sort of get swept away from some of my older stuff. I sat down and decided to reread the past chapters (I'm sort of horrified by the spelling/grammar mistakes I've made. Spell check, you shall be my new bestest buddy.) Anywho, please enjoy this update!**

**BreeTico – Oh yeah, I have a lot of smart remarks from Elsie. Sarcasm is my trademark. (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I swallowed nervously as we pulled up to Hanna's house. I hadn't seen my best friend in what felt like _weeks_, and now she was going to meet my significant. I was worried that Hanna wouldn't like him, or that she would start crushing on him, or something worse that even I couldn't imagine. Hanna's opinions didn't really matter because I was hopelessly in love with him, and it was only a matter of time, apparently, until we decided to tie the knot. Interestingly enough, the expectation didn't annoy me as much as it did before. I actually _wanted_ it. Still, even if Hanna decided she disliked him more than she'd hated Paul, I was sticking with him. I doubted it, but if something like that was going to happen… I was worried that it would drive a wedge between us. I was hoping that there would be the possibility that I could keep Hanna's friendship, but it was getting harder and harder. She knew every little thing about me, and now my entire future was riding on a secret that I couldn't share with her.

Hanna lived in a cute little cottage-like house down on the opposite side of town from me. During the drive over, we'd remained basically silent, listening to the radio play country songs. I leaned over to kiss Nick's cheek before climbing out of the car. He turned to catch my lips last second. I gave a slight sigh before pulling away. Now that we ascended, Nick and I were more in tune than ever. He picked up on my thoughts – mostly an internal babbling of how much he meant to me – and gave me a slight smile. I climbed out of the car and ran up the walkway to the door. Hanna and I had been friends forever. I had one of her house keys on my keychain, and she had one of mine on hers. Well, my old one. I wondered if she was expecting a new key from me. I would have to figure out some way to sidestep that for now, because I couldn't have her walking up to an Ace household. Alexandra and Daniel probably wouldn't appreciate it all that much, even if they did like me. I tried the knob. It was unlocked. Hanna's mom, a woman whom I had called Mama Jones for years, always locked the door. Hanna didn't because she said she could be leaving the house in the next five minutes or so. She was always on the move.

I pushed open the door. Nick's voice laced through my mind. _You just walk in_? He laughed.

_Yep,_ I replied. "Hanna!" I called out loud. "Come on, Nick's waiting in the car." I took a step into the house and looked down the hallway towards her room. I was just about to take a step that way when I heard Mama Jones call out to me.

"Elsie? Is that you?" She asked. She peered out of the laundry room, a smile coming over her face. She and Hanna looked a lot alike – light brown hair and big brown eyes. I smiled at her as she stepped out of the laundry room just as Hanna skirted out of her bedroom.

"Thank God you're here, El," Hanna said, running towards me. She wrapped her arm around me. "I thought the world had ended and you left me here with just my mom." She teased. Mama Jones narrowed her eyes at the two of us, but she couldn't hide her smile. When my mother had died, Mama Jones had basically taken over for her. Hanna smiled at her mom and said, "Besides, I need to meet this new hunk of a guy who's stolen your heart."

"A hunk?" Mama Jones repeated, her eyebrows shooting up in interest. I groaned out loud, and Hanna giggled maniacally. Mama Jones turned to face me. "Who is this hunk? When do I get to meet him?" She asked, her voice instantly protective.

"Don't worry, Mama J," I said. "Royce and Nolan already checked him out. He passed their test." Both of them looked at me like they wanted more. They wanted to meet him. I tried not to look nervous about it. Normal people wouldn't be nervous about it, right? I mean, there was that sort of sense of nervousness, but my relationship with Nick was definite. It wasn't going to change. Still, they didn't know that, and if there was anybody else in the world that was willing to tell me exactly what they thought, it would be those two.

_Nick_, I thought, projecting my thoughts towards him. I could sense his attention. _Prepare yourself. Hanna's mother wants to meet you._

After a moment of silence, he said, _Should I really be that worried?_

I just barely kept myself from shrugging as I smiled at Hanna and Mama Jones. "Well, okay," I agreed. "He's outside, in the car." To him, I said, _She's like my mother._ I replied, biting down on my lip at the thought of my own mom. I was sure that she would have loved him, if only because he loved me. Mama Jones was the same way, but she would definitely say her thoughts on him. _And she'll be brutally honest._

_You think I'm that bad?_ He asked, his mental voice teasing. I barely stifled a laugh as I opened up the door, Mama Jones and Hanna following behind me. I took the stairs, and Nick stepped out of his car. I could see him over the top of it. Just seeing him made my heart skip a beat. He gave me a half-smile, and I was almost sure that I heard Mama Jones sigh. I kept from smiling or glancing at her as he stepped around the front of the car.

"Dang," Hanna whispered to me. "You really scored with this one. So far, I have no complaints." This time I actually did laugh. Nick smiled, too, hearing Hanna's words through me. I took a deep breath as he took a step closer. "Mama J, Hanna, this is Nick. Nick, this is my best friend Hanna and her mother, who I call Mama Jones."

Mama Jones held out her hand, which Nick took in a gentle hold. She said, "It's so nice to meet you."

"You too, ma'am," Nick said back, playing up his southern charm.

Hanna squinted at him as Mama Jones cleared her throat. "Well, then, you three be careful. And don't do anything that I wouldn't do."

"Then we have a pretty free rein," Hanna said suddenly. She ducked away from Mama Jones's glare and headed towards the back seat of the car. "Well come on, then, you lovely couple." She said, giving the door handle a quick tug. "Please, before she throws a shoe at me or something."

I laughed and Nick chuckled, his fingers squeezing my hip before we stepped around to the front of the car. He climbed in and gave a courtesy wave to Mama Jones. She waved back has Hanna settled into the back seat. My best friend leaned forward and took a chunk of my hair. "Did you dye your hair?" She asked, sounding a little shocked. I guess it was understandable because I'd never really been one that liked the whole pampered girl thing. I went to the salon to get my hair washed and cut, and that was about it. Hanna was the one that enjoyed coloring her hair and getting her nails done.

"Um, yeah," I replied, deciding that it would be the best way to explain my new natural shade of hair color.

"I like it. You look _older_ somehow." She added, her eyes narrowing in on me. "I don't know what you did, but keep it up because babe, you are _hot_." Nick choked back a laugh in his seat. I turned in my seat to give her a slight glare. She just smiled broadly at me, and I rolled my eyes. God, I loved her, but she could totally be a pain.

"So, Nick," She said, leaning away from me and more towards my significant. I knew that it was pointless, but there was still a shot of jealousy that coursed through me as she got closer to my significant. Her chin was practically resting on his shoulder as her hand gripped the side of his seat. His eyes darted over to me, a slight smile breaking over his face. I forced a smile because, really? There was no point in getting jealous. Hanna would never try to take Nick away from me, and it was obvious that Nick would never turn his back on me. "How did you and my dearest best friend meet?"

Nick looked over to smile at me. Hanna's eyes drifted in between the two of us as he said, "We were at a store and her purse straps broke. I reached out to pick up some of her things right when she did, and that's how we met."

"Aw!" She cooed from the back seat. "So, was it like love at first sight or what?"

I bit my lip, trying to hide my grin as I looked out the window. Nick's smile just grew wider and he glanced over his shoulder to look at Hanna. "Something like that."

Hanna leaned back in her seat and cracked her knuckles. "Now, it's time for speed round." She said. I snorted a laugh, knowing that she would pull something like this. "Full name?"

"Nicholas Jacobson," he answered, eyes focused on the road. I could see a little crinkle at the corners of his eyes and his lips were quirked up in a smile.

"What? No middle name?"

"Theodore," I said.

Hanna patted me on the shoulder. "Beautifully done, chickie. Now, _he's_ the one being interrogated." She said, turning back to Nick. "Age?"

"I'll be twenty in three months."

"Older man," Hanna stage-whispered to me. "Good choice." Her gaze swept from me back to my significant. "College?"

"I'll be a sophomore at University of Tennessee." Before Hanna could ask, he added, "I'm majoring in architecture, and after I graduate I'm going into my family's business." Hanna sat back in her seat, a small smile crossing her face. She seemed pleased with Nick, and I was glad that he had earned the seal of best friend approval.

"One more question," she said easily, darting her eyes to me, "Do you play videogames?" I paused at the question. It reminded me of Paul, and the relationship I'd forced on both of us. I also got what the implication was. If Nick said that yes, he liked them, Hanna would immediately turn to look at me with disdain. Paul, she said, had soiled her thoughts of the nerdy cuteness of gamers.

"My cousin Kyle likes them more than I do," Nick said. "I'm much more into sports."

Hanna leaned back in her seat. I turned to see what she had to say. She mouthed the words _Good job, girlfriend_, and gave me a thumbs up. I stifled a laugh. Thank God Hanna liked him.

# # #

The town fair was crowded. It always was. It wasn't the first time I'd been, and apparently it wasn't Nick's first time, either. It was funny to think that we'd both been on the fairgrounds at some point, several times in the past couple of years, and we had never noticed each other. But like Nick said, Aces were big on fate. Maybe it was our destiny to be together, but we'd had to just wait a little longer.

"I think this is more crowded than last year," Hanna said. She had stuffed a large bottle of soda into her purse and was walking around with powder blue cotton candy on a paper cone. She ripped another piece off and offered the cone to me. I took a small piece. Hanna and I came to the fair together every year since we were kids. It was tradition to get cotton candy – she preferred the blue, and I liked the pink, so we'd ended up trading off every year since neither of us could eat a whole one on our own. The sugar melted on my tongue and I sighed, taking in a deep breath to really get the scent of popcorn and hot dogs. _This_ was summer.

"I think so too," I replied, "You think other towns are coming in, or did we just pick the busiest day of the year?"

"With our luck," Hanna replied cynically, "We picked the busiest day of the year." I laughed, aware of the fact that Nick was trailing right behind us. He'd sort of taken a step back, hoping that Hanna and I could catch up. His biggest worry was that I would lose my normal friends and my family, and he wanted me to have the full experience of whatever it was he thought I would be doing. He didn't want to get in the way, and he didn't want Hanna to feel like a third wheel. So he stayed a couple feet behind, close enough that he could reach out and touch me if he needed to, but distant enough that it was sort of like last year, when Hanna and I had come alone after Paul had ditched us. If it weren't for a steady undercurrent of his clouded thoughts, it would've been _exactly_ like last year.

The fair had game booths and the usual fair games – strength tests, knocking down a tower of bottles, and even had a carousel, a large Ferris wheel, and a funhouse. The other side of the fair had several stages set up, though only one was played on at a time, and vendors had set up booths to sell their wares. The fair was one of the biggest things that came around this area during the summer, so it was no surprise that it was crowded with all sorts of people. I was sort of expecting to see old friends from high school, like Hanna and I did every year, and I was sort of dreading it.

Gossip traveled fast in our town, between ladies at the salon and nosy teenagers with nothing better to do than check in on other people's business. I had no doubt that a good chunk of the town knew that I had left Paul after nearly three years for another guy. I'd sort of gotten over that fact because, honestly, it was Nick and me now. I just didn't want the entire town to think that I was some sort of two-timing girl. It shouldn't have mattered, but it did. Girls generally have self-esteem problems, what can I say?

"Hanna!" I heard. Instinctively, I looked to the nearest stage. Hanna twirled around as whoever called to her called out to me. "Elsie!" I vaguely recognized the guy's voice. He must have been a friend from high school. It was ridiculous that I couldn't place his voice, though. Hanna grabbed my arm and pointed to the stage.

"Dean?" Hanna asked. The guy in question waved at us from the stage, an electric guitar strapped over his shoulder. He motioned for us to come up to the stage, pointing to the stairs that led onto the platform. Hanna took them quickly, hugging our old friend. I took the steps a little more slowly, turning to make sure that Nick was still following me. His hand touched the small of my back briefly, and I smiled to myself.

"Hi, Dean," I said, accepting his hug. Dean and Hanna had never dated, but they had a whole chemistry thing going on between them. I don't think it would have ever worked, though, because most of their chemistry came from ridiculous funny, teasing arguments. The two of them would have constantly been at each other's throat. "How are you?"

"Good." He said, sweeping a hand to the stage. "Me and Hunter and the others in the band are shooting towards stardom." He gave me a slink wink. Dean had always joked about being some sort of rock god. "Where's Paul?" He asked, not seeming to notice that Nick had followed us up the stairs and was now standing at the edge of the stage, looking down to the grass below.

"She's not with him anymore," Hanna practically sang the words. "Thank God, right?" She gave him a flirty smile and motioned towards Nick. "That's her new beau," she whispered to him, "And by Jesus, he's _hot_." I elbowed her in the side as Nick glanced up to look at me. His smile was broad and warm. I could practically feel the warmth that he was mentally sending me, rushing all the way to my toes.

"Dean, this is my boyfriend, Nick. Nick, this is a friend from high school, Dean." I said, introducing the two of them. They nodded to each other and did a quick manly handshake. Nick's arm easily snaked around my waist, his fingers resting on my hip. I felt a warm flare coming from him, and I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. _Why, Nicholas Theodore Jacobson, is that jealousy I feel?_ I teased.

Nick's hand tightened on my shoulder for a nanosecond and then he nearly released me. _I'm just letting him know that you are mine._ His reply was warm and joking, and when I looked up at him, he was smiling down at me.

Hanna had a hand on Dean's arm, keeping him preoccupied. I couldn't help but wonder if Nick and I seemed like Maggie and Caleb. I had known, when I saw the two of them together, that I wanted something like what they had. I was pretty sure that I'd found it in Nick. And it really wondered if the two of us seemed like we were talking to each other with our eyes (since they wouldn't believe us if we said that we really were talking to each other) and if we seemed hopelessly in love.

"Hey, Dean!" I glanced up to see another friend, Hunter, walking towards us. He twirled his drumsticks in between his fingers as his eyes roved over Hanna and me. Hunter was the kind of friend that flirted with you every chance he got, even if he wasn't interested in you. He was notoriously known as being a complete commitment phobe, as well as being nothing close to boyfriend material. In other words, he was completely harmless, though he did have a large hate-base made up of ex-boyfriends that blamed him for their relationship going south. I knew Nick picked up my thoughts and diagnosis on Hunter's personality, but he still wanted to prove that I was his. And honestly, I liked it. Clingy and codependent were two words that could probably negatively describe our relationship, but in the Ace world they were _good_ words. "Have you seen Charlie?" He asked.

I felt my eyebrows draw together as Hunter appraised Hanna. Apparently, Nick had made it very clear that the two of us were together, and even though Hunter could never take anyone very seriously, he knew better than to mess with someone that was as tall, broad, and well-muscled as my boyfriend. "Whose Charlie?" I asked.

"Charlie Watson," Dean said, "Is our newest band member. Cody dropped out for college, and introduced us to Charlie, who was glad to take his replacement. You should meet him. He and his cousin are around here somewhere."

_Watson_, Nick's voice hissed through my mind. _He said Charlie_ Watson. I understood the panic that shot through our bond on both sides. Marcus's last name was Watson. Watson wasn't exactly an uncommon last name, but there was still a chance…. "Would his cousin, by any chance, be named Marcus?" I asked lightly, trying to cover up the fear shooting through my voice. Even Nick's touch couldn't completely erase it.

"I think that was his name, yeah. You know him?" Hunter asked. He twirled one of his drumsticks haphazardly. Usually, I would've been worried that he would lose his grip on it and fling it into my eye or something, but the idea that Marcus was on the fairgrounds somewhere, possibly stalking us and planning our demise, was enough to make me forget about the stupid drumsticks. "Kind of stocky, dark hair, bad attitude?" He offered.

"Sounds like him," I breathed, looking up to Nick. He was trying his best to keep the serious look off his face. They didn't know the consequences of running into Marcus Watson like we did. He did say, after all, in a dream echo, that he wanted to kill me. Granted, Nick and I had ascended, so they could no longer stop us from that. But he could still kill one of us, and if it was true, the other would eventually die afterwards or would live in a world of pain, waiting for their death to come. _Dangerous_ didn't even begin to cover it.

I glanced over at Hanna. I had wanted to just spend one day with my normal friends, but I realized, in that moment, that it was nearly impossible. If Marcus couldn't use me to get to Nick and the entire Jacobson family, they would use my helpless, unknowing friends to get to me. It was simple, really. That's what all the bad guys did in books and movies. They took hostage of those that we loved to make the hero give himself up. It was just the way things were done. And even though this wasn't a book or a movie but my _life_, I doubted Marcus had any morals. He had, after all, tried to stab me with a pocket knife in my dream. There was even a cut in Nick's desk where he had thrown the knife down in the echo. It was all very real.

_I'm sorry_, Nick said as he read my realization from my mind. I knew he really was apologetic. I could also tell that he blamed himself for it. If he hadn't touched me, he thought, then I wouldn't have been uprooted from the life I grew up with. I wouldn't have held any interest to Marcus Watson.

Silently, I scolded him for even thinking that. I knew, when I accepted the fact that destiny had made a decision for me, that my relationships with non-Aces were nearly severed. They couldn't understand the life I was living, and I wouldn't even attempt to make them understand it. I knew that there were suddenly secrets and walls that I couldn't cross with them anymore. And I knew, if given the choice to have my menial life back or have Nick, I would choose Nick every time. My mom had always told me that there was someone out there that was just for me, and that I should do almost anything to have happiness. _Life isn't about accepting what's given to you_, she'd tell me as she dug in her garden. _Life is about learning from your mistakes and paving your own path. It's building something that you can look back and be proud of_.

Sometimes, I wondered if my mom knew more than she let on. She was pretty spot-on with some of her advice, as if she'd known that one day they would be the only thing that I could fall back on. I glanced up at him and said, _Follow my lead_. He looked at me with a clearly questioning gaze. "You're phone's ringing," I said, cutting off whatever Hanna, Dean, and Hunter were talking about. I reached over and snatched it from the back pocket of Nick's jeans. The guys exchanged a look, and I could practically read their minds – _She's got him whipped!_ Nick remained indifferent as I slid my thumb across the screen and put it to my ear. Hanna seemed surprised. Paul had never let me answer his phone, and in return, he wasn't allowed to answer mine. The only person who ever answered my phone was Hanna, and even then she got a reprimanding look from me on most days.

"Maggie?" I asked. Nick glanced over at me. I could feel him digging around in my brain to figure out what exactly I was planning. It sort of made it hard to concentrate, since I really needed to sell this. "Yeah, he's right here," I said after a pause. Hanna had returned her eyes to Hunter and Dean, but I could tell that she was listening on my conversation. Nick was standing right next to me, practically breathing down my neck. Hunter was openly watching. "What do you mean, Rodney got into an accident?" I asked. Nick stiffened beside me. I couldn't tell if he'd just figured out my half-baked plan or if he was just acting his part. Either way, it was realistic. "Yeah, yeah, we'll be right there!" I said, hitting the "imaginary" end button.

"I'm sorry," I said to Hanna. She looked at me with her eyebrows drawn together. "Nick's brother Rodney was in an accident back at the house. He and their father are… working on some roofing project. Your parents are waiting for us at the hospital," I said, turning to point my words to Nick. "I'm really sorry, but we've got to go. Maybe we can do dinner some other time?" I asked Hanna.

She nodded slowly, concern spreading on her face. I knew that she was honestly concerned for another's well-being (she was like that, unless she absolutely despised them like she did Paul) but I could also tell that she was wondering if Nick's brother was at hot as he was, and if he was single.

"We can take you home," I offered, "Before stopping at the hospital."

"That's okay," Dean cut in, "I can take her home. That cool with you, Han?"

She nodded. "I'll be fine." She reached over and gave me a quick hug. "Tell um, Rodney, that I hope he feels better."

"I really am sorry," I said, trying to convey how sorry I really was to her. She nodded and shooed me away. I dropped Nick's phone back into his pocket and turned for the stage steps. I hurried down them and broke towards the entrance of the fair, where Nick's car was parked.

"That," He breathed, coming close to me as we weaved our way through the crowd, "Was brilliant."

"Thanks," I replied. "Now, let's just hope that Rodney really is okay and that we can get out of here before Marcus sees us."

"That might be a problem," Nick whispered, his voice low and quick. He motioned towards a group of people headed our way. They didn't see us yet, but that was definitely Marcus at the front of the line. The others around him were probably all Watsons. They had that look about them – dark hair, sort of stocky in build and height. "This way," He said, grabbing my hand and leading me towards the funhouse.

I nearly froze. The one thing that I hate other than doctors is clowns, and the funhouse entrance happened to be shaped like a giant clown head, the doors set in the clown's open mouth. It didn't look particularly menacing, with its curly red hair and wide eyes, but if it had slightly narrowed eyes and fangs, it could be something from my nightmares. "I hate clowns," I whispered.

"I know, and I'm sorry," Nick said, "But it's the only place we can go to get out of sight. Please, baby, just step into the funhouse. You can close your eyes and I'll lead you in." My eyes darted up to him at the endearment. Nick had never called me anything but Elsie before, and I found that I really did like being called baby by him. I was sure he felt that through our shared bond as my hand gripped onto his a little tighter.

"Okay," I breathed, panic shooting through my chest. His fingers wrapped around mine as my eyes closed. Quickly, he led me through the crowd. Within seconds, we were pushing through the plastic flaps that were the entrance of the funhouse. Nick pulled me off into a corner, a narrow hallway between the first funky exhibit and the wall of the funhouse. The two of us barely fit inside of it. He had his back to the exhibit displaying twisting, turning illusions and I had my back to the wall. Facing each other, I could feel his heartbeat pounding along next to mine. He was just as panicked about seeing Marcus here as I was.

"Are you okay?" He whispered to me, his lips just barely touching my ear. His warm breath sent shivers down my spine, and I managed a slow nod. "God, that was close. I don't like the fact that they're here. It doesn't really seem like a place that the Watsons would want to go." His voice was low, only to where I could hear it.

"Well, if you came around you can't expect his family not to come," I replied. "I mean, I know that they're not as tight-knit as your family –"

"_Our_ family," Nick corrected.

"_Our_ family," I repeated, feeling a smile break across my face. "But I mean, they can't just sit around and plot evil ways to make the rest of us miserable, can they?"

"Honestly," Nick answered with a sigh, "I have no idea. You see, our families are rivals. Usually they are if they inhabit the same area. Remember how I told you that there was a family in London and your biological family is from Prague?" I nodded, and he continued. "Your family is the only Ace family in Prague. The only time they see other Aces that aren't considered immediate family is when they're at reunification. Think of it as Native American tribes. Two different tribes aren't going to inhabit the same land peacefully unless some sort of treaty or trade is drawn up. But we're all too proud for that. There hasn't even been a Jacobson-Watson imprint in history." He said quietly.

"So basically you have a never-ending war with them?" I asked, my words whispered to his chest.

"Basically," He replied. He paused to slid out of the narrow hallway and push back one of the plastic flaps. He turned to look at me. "I see them. They've gone all the way past the stage. It looks like they're going to the food vendors. This is our chance," He reached out to grab my hand and pulled me from our hiding spot.

Hand-in-hand, the two of us darted through the crowd, trying not to seem like we were in a rush to get out of the place. My heart was pounding in my chest despite Nick's comforting touch. I didn't think that I was going to feel safe unless we were considerably out of the fairgrounds and far away from the Watson family. Nick seemed to be thinking the exact same think as he pulled me underneath the arched entryway of the fairgrounds and to the parking lot. It didn't take long to find his car. I slid into the passenger seat as Nick jumped into his side of the car, revving the engine before either of us had our seatbelts on. The moment that I was all buckled up, he pulled out of the space and headed straight for the road leading home.

"That was a close one," I whispered to him after a moment.

Nick kept one hand on the wheel, the other reached out to take my hand. He brought it to his lips and said, "Too close."

**Those darn Watsons. They ruin everybody's good time. Sigh.**

**As always, I hope that you are pleased with this chapter. I apologize for any spelling/grammatical errors that I did not pick up on my quick scan-through (honestly, I only scanned like, half of it.) Haha.**

**And, as always, I ask you to leave me a review with your comments and criticism. Thanks for reading! Peace (:**


	18. Chapter 18

**Rylie16 – Lol, thanks for reading the whole thing! Not many people want to jump in this late in the show. (And I just did the same thing, and I had to stop to sleep. Your dedication is admirable!) I love the couple, too! And yes, haha, Nicholas Theodore Jacobson! His parents. Gosh. (:**

**BreeTico – I figured that Hanna would be a complete internet troll to him. Haha. And Mama Jones is more like a kid herself. She's sort of like my grandma. Lol! (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

Nick and Daniel shared a moment of testosterone-ridden anger when we arrived back at the ranch. Alexandra and I sat at the kitchen table, watching all the two of them rage about the whole thing. I wanted to get up and tell Nick that there wasn't anything that we could do, not really. Marcus was in a public place. The only way to keep him away from me in public was to file a restraining order with the police. And that was basically impossible. What would I say to them? That the guy had threatened to kill me in an echo while I'd been sleeping? Instead of granting a restraining order, they would be having me sent to the nearest asylum.

I gripped my glass of sweet tea in both hands, staring down at the ice cubes as they slowly melted. I knew that I probably should have gone up and tried to calm him down a little bit, if not with a steady stream of encouraging words than with a touch. But he was so angry that it probably wouldn't have done much for him. Besides that, all I got from him was lines of anger, so strong that I doubted that he felt anything that I was feeling. Honestly, it was kind of scaring me. And it was sort of making me mad. I don't like being scared. I don't like when people get out of control. I wanted to grab him by the chin and make him look me in the eye so he would just _shut up_ about the whole thing anyway. Alexandra didn't look like she was thinking the _exact_ same thing, but there was a hint of similarity between the two of us as we watched our significants rant and rave about those Watsons that ruin everything for everyone else.

Alexandra gave me a look that was sort of sad, as if she was a little upset that I had to see her son like this. It didn't matter much to me. I knew that I was going to see the best and worst sides of Nick, just like he would to me. I took a slow sip of my sweet tea, my eyes darting to the living room for a moment before I slid down a little farther in my seat. Alexandra looked a little lost for words, even.

When we had gotten home, Nick had gone from being worried about me to being thoroughly livid. He hadn't even paused at the front of the car to wait for me as he stalked into the house, interrupting his father's football game. Daniel was already mad enough that his team was losing, but his anger quickly escalated when Nick gave him the rundown of events that had happened at the fairgrounds. I figured that out of all of us, I should have been the one that was the angriest about it. We didn't actually get into a fight or share any words with Marcus Watson, and it was my friend that we skipped out on. But Nick was angry because he couldn't protect me the way he wanted to, he was angry that we couldn't just go out without having to worry about everyone else, and his father was probably angry that his son couldn't bask in his imprint like he was supposed to.

Alexandra had listened with a motherly look of concern on her face. When Daniel and Nick had decided to sit down and plan what to do, I'd turned away and Alexandra had left her husband's side to come to me. She had poured two glasses of sweet tea and led me to the kitchen table. She patted my hand as we listened to the two of them. And we had a short, whispered conversation, mostly her giving me advice – let Nick work out the anger on his own. Even though we had the ability to take it away from each other and replace it with soothing calmness didn't necessarily mean that it had to be done every time. Sometimes we just had to work through things, and that meant being without your significant's touch for a minute or two.

I had pretty much zoned out on the two of them. Alexandra stood up to start dinner. I downed the rest of my sweet tea and offered to help, but she declined with a smile. Not wanting to listen to them anymore, I slipped down the hallway and past them without a word. They didn't even seem to notice me as I stepped into the bedroom I shared with Nick. The room was clean, like always, and a little more cluttered since I moved in. I reached for the duffel bag that I had halfway unpacked and carefully put the rest of my folded clothes in the dresser drawers. At the very bottom of my bag was my book, the same book that had fallen out of my bag at the videogames store. The same book that had brought Nick and I together.

I picked it up gingerly, running a finger over the binding. Who would have known that a simple book would have led me to meet my soul mate? Well, it hadn't done it alone. It had needed the help of an old purse with straps that were about to snap. I couldn't help but smile at the memory. Everything had been so blissful… up to this point. I hated seeing Nick so angry. I hated being annoyed that he was so angry because he couldn't protect me the way he wanted to. With a sigh, I sat down on the bed and opened to the song that I'd been working on when I'd met Nick.

Since we'd imprinted, I hadn't had much time for song-writing or piano-playing. My days had been filled with Nick in the mornings and late evenings and in the afternoons I'd struggled to get past my brother's fields of questioning as well as keeping Paul and Hanna occupied. I ran my fingers over the words. It was half-finished, and not as good as I had originally thought. It spoke about love, but it didn't actually have the true meaning of love behind it. I hadn't felt that yet. I hadn't known what it would be like to look the love of your life in the eyes and share that emotion.

I sat down on the bed, curling up against the pillows on Nick's side of the bed. They smelled just like him, which made me smile. It sort of made my heart soar, really. How ridiculous was it that my heart beat a little faster just because of his scent? I bit my lip and smiled to myself, looking down at the blank pages of my song book. Reaching over to dig in Nick's drawer, I found a pen. Uncapping it with my teeth, I put the pen to the paper, writing down a quick melody that came to me, and then I started to write the words down. Lyrics seemed to pour out of me.

Writing was always emotionally taxing. It always made me look into the deepest corners of myself to pull out exactly what I was feeling before I could put it down on paper. And writing was complex. I had to take little things that I'd written down and words that had sounded pretty and put them together with the correct number of beats. But this time it was different. Not only did I play with the beat of true love and the hurt it brought when I found myself bothered or angry with Nick, the words were easy and fast I scribbled them down onto the page, the melody echoing in my head. I found myself wishing that I had a upright piano to play. Instead, once the song was mostly finished, I sat back on the pillows, surrounded by the smell of my muse, and I sang the words softly to myself, chasing the hint of the melody in my head.

I closed my eyes to better focus on it, unaware of the fact that my voice was gradually growing louder. My voice didn't easily fit inside a box labeled soprano or alto. I couldn't go too high, but I couldn't go very low, either. I was smack in the middle. But I'd been told that my voice was pretty, and that was the only reason that I allowed myself to sing out loud even when I was alone. I would surely die with embarrassment if anyone else heard me.

I ran through the song a couple of times, pausing to change a word or two so the beats fit better. I picked up right where I left off, singing it all the way through the end. When I finished it, I sat back with a smile. It had been so long since I'd managed to write anything, and this was certainly the best thing that I'd ever written. I continued to hum the melody to myself as I wrote a few of the signs as notes to myself. That's when I realized that the low undertone of Nick and Daniel's planning had stopped. I didn't know when they had stopped talking. Hopefully it hadn't been too long, because my singing had gotten progressively louder to block out their rambling.

Panic bubbled up in my chest and embarrassment colored my cheeks. I scrambled out of the bed, ruining the tightness of the comforter that I'd fixed that morning. My feet hit the ground and I nearly slipped as I reached for the door. Just as I was about to turn the knob, I realized that someone was sitting on the other side. And by the way that my mind instantly probed Nick's, I knew it was most likely my significant. And, by the way that his mind was partly blocked and roiling, I figured that he'd heard my song. Every word of it.

It really was a beautiful song, showcasing what true love felt like. But around all of that lovey dovey stuff that would have made it some big hit, I'm sure, there was the darker hints of the pain it brought to fight with him, as well as the worry over my stance with him. I knew that he would never leave me. He couldn't. That was partly what was behind the words. But the other part was how confusing it all was. How one day, you think you know love and the next you're brand new to it all and you never knew how far off you really were. A song of pain and love. It was perfect. It was beautiful. And it had probably struck a chord or two when it came to Nick.

I slowly twisted the doorknob and slowly pulled it back. Nick was leaning against the door, his body slumping back as I pulled it open. I braced it with my foot, leaning out a little to look over at him. He didn't look up at me, and fear plagued my heart. Was he mad at me? Did I hurt his feelings somehow? I would have never sung that out loud if I knew that he was right there listening, if I knew that it would have hurt his feelings. The moment the thought entered my head, he looked up. His eyes were clear turquoise blue. He reached up and took a hold of my hand on the doorknob. His fingers wrapped around mine, and with a tug he pulled me down.

Level with his face, he pulled me forward to where I was practically sitting in his lap. My cheeks immediately started flushing. Aces were pretty lenient when it came to public displays of affection, but I wasn't sure what his parents would think if they walked by and saw us cuddling in the hall. I scooted over a little bit, trying to sit right next to him, but he wouldn't allow it. Instead, he pulled me closer, his hands tight on my waist.

"I love you," he whispered to me, his breath warm on my cheek. "I love you so much. I want you to know that. Even when I'm that mad… it's just because I can't protect you the way I want to. I want you to be able to go out with your friends whenever you want to and not have to worry about seeing him. I want you to be able to take a nap without me by your side and not have to worry about having someone invade your dreams."

I'd been so right. The lyrics to my song had certainly hit Nick in a way that I didn't think they would. I leaned back to look at him. His eyes weren't looking into mine, as if he was ashamed. I reached up and took him by the chin, making him look at me. The intense blue burned into mine as we stared at each other for a moment. "It's just a song," I said after a moment.

"It's not about the song, which is nice, by the way. It's about what I felt from your side of the bond." He replied softly, leaning forward so his words were whispered against my neck. I could feel his lips kiss the skin there, and I shivered at his touch. "I was angry, and I let it take over. I let myself forget that you needed me more. And for that I'm sorry." He said.

"Hey, letting out your anger is healthy." I replied. Part of it was said to make him feel better, but the other part was true. Hadn't he ever seen the movie Zombieland? Letting out pent-up anger made you feel better in the long run. Otherwise it would just bottle there until you exploded and did something really regrettable. I'd rather him curse Marcus into the great beyond than explode later. He picked up on my thoughts and gave a low chuckle. "And I was fine. I was actually sort of productive in that time." I told him.

He let out a sigh and brought a hand up to run through my hair. "What are we going to do?" He asked quietly. "We can't go out in the world with Marcus out there, looking to kill you."

"We can't just stay in here." I said, a little flabbergasted that he would even suggest it. I had come to terms with the fact that I couldn't just call up Hanna anymore and ask about seeing a movie. I knew that my relationships with my friends and family were a little on the outs. But he couldn't make me stay in this house. He _wouldn't_ do that. Would he? I glanced over at him, and he looked at me with a sad but serious look.

He was debating it. I leapt off his lap faster than I had ever moved before. He knew I hated it when people thought that they could control what I did. He _knew_ it, and yet he was still thinking about trying to keep me on lockdown? "Elsie," he said calmly, trying to take my attention. My heart was thudding in my chest so hard I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I turned abruptly and took off down the hall.

Nick had once told me that it hurt to fight. We weren't supposed to fight. And he was right, it sort of killed me. But I needed to get away from him just for a little while. And I knew that he would do his best to follow me, especially when I left in such a hurry. I swallowed hard and threw up mental walls. I didn't know how strong they were, if they could stand Nick's mind, but the steady stream of words coming from him shut off. I rushed out into the living room, ducking past Alexandra and Daniel, who were sitting on the couch. I flung open the front door and nearly ran into Rodney. God, why were they all right there? I just needed to get away for a little while.

Rodney reached out to take my arm, and I slid past him, out into the front yard. He turned to look at me as Nick barreled down the hallway. He had probably stood up and come after me the moment I put up the walls to block him out.

I don't really know what it was. It was probably a combination of my panic about having the ability to make my own decisions taken away from me and the fact that Marcus was out to kill me and the whole principle of having to leave my friends and family behind, but I burst into tears as I stepped onto the front lawn. I sure had done a lot of crying since I met Nick. Usually, that would have been a bad thing. But I think it was more because my life had been turned upside down and I was facing problems that I never thought I would ever have to face.

I felt a hand around my arm and I knew instinctively that it was Nick. I wanted to lean into him, but I knew that it wouldn't help me, not right now. I needed to work through this on my own. With a restraint I didn't know I had, I yanked away from my significant. The hurt in his eyes nearly made me crumble right there as I took a step back and gave a little hiccup. I sniffled and turned sharply, running around the side of the house and down to the barn. It was probably the most obvious place to go, but it was the only place that I could think of.

Throwing open the barn doors, I scared the horses. I didn't pause to make sure that they weren't freaking out and instead headed towards the stacks of itchy hay in the opposite corner. I quickly stepped up on one of them. The hay was stacked so that the back was the highest and the front was the lowest. With just a little bit of rearranging, I managed to make a step ladder up to the highest point. I sat down on the hay tower, leaning against the back wall. Angrily, I wiped underneath my eyes with my fingers. I was mad that Nick thought he could tell me what to do, I was mad that I had let myself act like such a whiny princess not only in front of him but in front of his family, and I was mad that I had put myself first without waiting to listen to what he had to say. But it was all said and done.

I lay back on the hay tower, shrouded in darkness. The ceiling up here was a little grimy, and I was pretty sure that there was a huge cobweb in the corner, but I couldn't bring myself to actually check and see if it was. Instead, I stayed put. My mind was strangely blank without Nick's presence. I had no idea how close he really was _all the time_, or how much I really did love it. Without him there, it was sort of… empty. Alone.

As I was thinking about how I was going to apologize to him, because I knew I was, something small and warm jumped up next to me. Immediately thinking that it was a spider, I let out a high-pitched scream. It faltered off when I realized that whatever it was was too large to be a spider. Relief and embarrassment flooded me when I realized that it was only Scout. His eyes were large, the pupils nearly eating up his iris in the darkness. He gave a low meow and nudged my chin with his head.

"Hi, Scout," I breathed. He crawled onto my stomach and curled up into a ball, steadily purring. I pet his ears and let my head drop back onto the hay. "I was pretty stupid, wasn't I?" I asked him. He continued to purr in answer, and I sighed, playing with his short pointy ears.

"You weren't that stupid." I jumped so violently that I nearly tumbled off the hay bales that I was lying on. Scout gave me a dirty look since I'd disrupted his sleeping. I sat up, making the cat all the more mad. He crawled off of me and went to stand on the edge of the hay bale, jumping down to the one below. I peered over the edge and saw Nick standing at the bottom. He looked a little sheepish and upset, but most of all he looked apologetic. He gestured to the stairs I built and said, "Nice architecture. Are you sure you don't want to go to college with me?" His voice was light, but I could hear the heaviness underneath it.

I shrugged, playing up to the joke. "You know me. I excel in everything I do."

A small smile quirked up on his lips, his eyes looking bright even from the distance. He reached forward and took a step up onto the first bale. Slowly he made his way up to me. I lay there and waited for him to reach me. When he got up to where he was almost right up with me, he leaned forward, standing on the last bale and leaning forward onto mine. "I'm sorry, Elsie." He said it softly. "I can't make you do anything. That wouldn't keep you any safer. Your friends are out there, and your brothers are out there, and it's ridiculous for me to think that I could control where you go and what you're allowed to do. You're not a prisoner here, Elsie."

"I'm sorry too," I said, nearly cutting him off. "I got angry with you instead of just letting us talk about it. And you're right. You can't keep me here. But I will do everything with precaution." I replied. Nick still hadn't touched me, as if he thought that I was going to pull away again. By the way that my wall was slowly coming down, I could feel the pain of my rejection. It was bubbling under the surface, and he was trying to hide it, but he wasn't very good at it. I leaned forward and took a hold of his hand. Calm spread between us, and I gave him a smile.

"You want to come down from there? I'm pretty sure that there's a spider that lives up here somewhere." His words were whispered, and I could tell that he was joking. But I _knew_ that was a freaking cobweb in the corner. I nearly propelled myself off of the hay bale and into his arms. He gave a low chuckle as he put my feet down on the hay bale. I balanced precariously for a moment before jumping down to the next one. Once I had my feet on the flat ground, I sat down on the nearest bale. He made his way down and sat down right next to me.

Nick seemed like he wanted to give me a little distance, but that was the last time I wanted. I drew closer to him, snuggling right up into his side. He draped an arm around me as I leaned my head against his shoulder. "I don't like fighting with you." I told him quietly. "It's sort of surprising, because I like fighting with everyone."

He chuckled and squeezed my shoulder for a second. "We're not built to fight, Elsie. Remember?"

"Yeah, I remember." I said. "But hey, I know an easy way that we could keep from fighting."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Just smile and let me do whatever I want." I teased, looking up at him. He looked down at me, a smile across his face. I tilted my chin up and he met me, pressing his lips to mine.

**Okey doke. Chapter completed. I figured that their first fight needed to be seen at some point. As always, it's fixed with a few apologies and compromise. Wouldn't that be nice if it worked like that in the real world? :P**

**Anyway. Leave me a review in the box below. Thanks for taking the time to read! Peace (:**


	19. Chapter 19

**Warning: from here on out, there will be spoilers for Independence. I've assumed you've read it already, but I think it's fair to have a warning, yeah?**

**SpellStorm – Oh yeah. Sometimes I like to think that everyone truly as a soul mate, but unfortunately it probably won't ever be like the Aces. I think that might be why we girls enjoy sappy romances. Ha! (:**

**CompleteChocoholic – Good to hear! I'm glad you didn't have to suffer through it. Makes me all happy inside. (:**

**PhyllisD – Thanks! Truly, it's an honor to hear that it sounds similar to something a published author would write!**

**Skylar – Lol thanks, I loved Significance, too. Now that Independence has come out, there will probably be a few spoilers for those. Yay!**

**amy-with-an-i – That's so true, and that's one thing I've thought about: perhaps it's just because Maggie wasn't full Ace, but Watsons and Jacobsons weren't supposed to ever imprint, right? Maybe that's just my own thinking, but whatever. I was still pretty happy with the end of the series!**

****Guys. I think this might be the last full chapter. I plan on adding an epilogue one year into the future. I know, I know. It's sudden. But I realized earlier that this story is just for Nick and Elsie, really, because Maggie and Caleb deal with Marcus and the rest of the Watson family. So enjoy.****

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

I actually felt a little off in public, now. There was just the feeling that someone was watching me, waiting for the perfect time to strike. I knew deep down inside that it was probably just my paranoia, because there was no way Marcus could follow us around like that. He couldn't have been at the bedroom window when I woke up in Nick's arms, and he couldn't have been in the car behind us when we left the ranch, and he couldn't have been the guy riding the bicycle in the park, or the guy waiting in line at the nearest coffee place, or the guy behind the ticket counter when we decided to go watch a movie.

Marcus couldn't have been everywhere, I thought, but there was no erasing my fear. The worst part was that I wasn't alone with it, because Nick could feel every burst of fear that went through me. He could always ease it with a touch, but his warmth didn't always linger. It got to the point where he was always touching me. He squeezed me close at night, held my hand under the table or across the center console in the car. The only time we were apart was when one of us was in the bathroom, really.

Alexandra and Daniel were starting to get worried, I could tell. They managed to continue like there was nothing wrong. Daniel and Rodney went out in the mornings to work, and they didn't tease Nick about getting up and going with them anymore. Alexandra made breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and when I helped Nick lingered at the kitchen table, eyes on me, out the window, and back to me. It became a pattern.

Weeks passed. As the days went by, we started staying in at the ranch a little more each day. I figured it was because it was the only place where the two of us felt safe, and even then, there was a fear that covered everything like a thin coat of dust. Nothing, we thought, would keep us safe.

I thought we'd come to an understanding the day that we had our first fight. I had wanted to continue to live our lives, and Nick had wanted to become a tyrant. We'd worked it out, deciding that we were just going to be cautious. But in the end, we fell into the habit of becoming overly cautious. We weren't taking all the precautions that we could've, but we weren't really living, either. It was sort of like a constant state of misery, only made better by the times we could smile at each other or joke as we watched a movie, this time on the couch instead of in a theatre.

It wasn't all bad, though. During the mornings, we laid there side by side, smiling at each other in that cheesy way teen romances debuted. We watched movies and joked when we found something funny. We went out to the stables and teased Scout with a piece of hay. We rode the horses and remained there for hours, brushing them and petting them and talking to them like they could talk back. Sometimes we went out to eat with Royce and Nolan, who eyed Nick like _he_ was the danger. Slowly, though, Royce began to relax a little around Nick, and Nolan started joking with him like they were best friends. We even had dinner with my brothers and Maggie and Caleb, and they seemed more at ease with my life.

To me, the best thing was that my brothers no longer accused Nick of being a crazy, possessive, psycho boyfriend. Maggie managed to charm them to the point where Caleb seemed a little jealous when Nolan laid his flirting on a little thick, and Royce eventually stopped texting me every night asking if I was okay and how my day had gone. Instead, it became weekly, and somehow, that just felt right.

Nearly a full month of this had passed before Rodney walked in from a long day of work, looked at the two of us cuddled up on the couch and stated, "You guys need to get up and start living again."

Alexandra's face paled in the kitchen. Currently, all young imprinted couples were in similar amounts of danger because of Marcus and the threat his family posed. I could tell that she wasn't happy with the way we were acting, but she understood enough that she wasn't going to force us out into the world.

"Rodney," she said, slipping into the room. She smiled so wide that it was obvious she was feeling a little bit of panic. "They're fine."

"They're really not, mom." He said. "We need an intervention. Dad and I have been talking about it. You two can't be acting like this. We're supposed to go to reunification in a few weeks, and you guys are acting absolutely insane. What are you going to do when we're all stuck in the same building as the Watsons? Are you guys just _not_ going to sleep? You're not going to leave your rooms?"

"Rodney," Alexandra hissed.

"He's right." Daniel said. The two of us had been quiet the entire time Rodney was talking, but the moment his dad chimed in, Nick tensed. I knew that he looked up to his father, and he hated disappointing him for any reason. _He's not disappointed in us._ I whispered to him. _He's just worried. And think about it. We really are acting like a couple of hermits._

_What about Marcus?_ Nick thought. _We have every right to be cautious._

_This isn't cautious. This is fear._ I looked at him directly in the eyes, making sure he looked right at me. Rodney and Daniel said that we needed an intervention, and suddenly, I agreed. I'd thought about it when Nick was asleep at night and I was still lying awake, but I never acted on it, because Nick was right. We were safer like this, hidden away on the ranch, amid his family and the horses. And we were safer with Caleb and Maggie and my brothers, because Marcus wouldn't dare take on a fight if he was outnumbered. They were right, I realized, one hundred percent. And just like that, I was sort of disgusted with our behavior. What kind of Ace acts like this? _I don't want to live in fear._

My words, combined with his brother's and his father's, seemed to wake him up a little bit. Nick's fingers relaxed, though his hands stayed wrapped around my hand. "Dad," he said suddenly. Everyone stopped, because during this whole conversation, Daniel, Rodney, and Alexandra had talked about us without including us. We probably could've been in the other room, because everyone looked a little shocked when Nick spoke up. "We get it, okay? We can't continue on like this. But… but it's going to change. Peter's already put in a complaint that will be seen to at reunification. Hopefully after that, we'll be safe."

Alexandra's eyes softened. Daniel's did, too, but his kept a bit of hardness that said he still wasn't jumping for joy. His gazed connected with Alexandra's, and I watched their expressions as they talked to one another. To Aces, it was clear what was happening. I never realized how expressive someone could be even when they weren't talking out loud. I'd had conversations with my friends using only facial expressions, but I didn't realize how they accompanied even silent words. It was all a little… strange.

Rodney didn't look amused in the least. He stood on the other side of the room, with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes hard as he glared at the entire room. I liked to think that he was frustrated that Nick and I didn't even feel one hundred percent comfortable in the place we called home. I knew that it was the men's job to take care of the girls, meaning that even Rodney felt the need to protect me, even though we weren't imprinted. The entire family was on edge because of what Marcus had done to Maggie, and what he was attempting to do to me.

"We'll be okay," I announced out loud. "We really will. We just needed time to… acclimate." I said. I didn't know if it made much sense, but it was better than everyone just staring blankly at each other. Rodney sighed, but he uncrossed his arms, which I read as a victory. Alexandra and Daniel looked away from each other and focused on me.

"We're going out," Nick said. This time, his words not only shocked his family, but me, as well. I hadn't been expecting it, and I hadn't felt it hiding in his mind. But he stood up, tugged his boots on, and waited for me to pull on my sneakers. Rodney shrugged and headed towards the hallway to his room. Alexandra slipped back to the kitchen silently, like a ghost. Daniel stood there in the living room though, watching us.

"Where are you going, son?" He asked.

"To the barn," he answered. "I want to take Elsie out for a quick ride. We'll be back before dinner, I promise." He continued. He knotted his fingers through mine, nodded to his father, and led me to the front door.

I liked the confidence I felt in Nick. I could feel it bouncing around in him and shooting to me. Together, we decided to move on. Together, we decided that we would make a difference. I liked the fact that we'd made the choice as a team instead of independently. Maybe that was what had been so wrong in the last month or so. I'd decided one thing, and Nick had decided the other. But now we were working as a couple, like Aces were supposed to work.

Nick and I slipped into the barn, where Scout greeted us with a peppy meow. We hadn't been out to see him recently, though Alexandra was out every morning and evening to feed him. She'd connected with the cat on a deeper level than the rest of us did. Still, he came up to my side and pushed his head against my head, coercing me into petting him.

I stayed where I was as Nick went and saddled the horses. When he was done, he told me in my mind. "Sorry, Scout. I'll be back before dark. I promise." He meowed in return. I scratched him behind the ears once more before hurrying out to where Nick was waiting.

In the past month, I'd come really far on my riding skills. I didn't struggle to get up on my own anymore, and was usually able to remember the rein commands as we rode. I rarely freaked out and forgot. We'd even stepped up from walking to trotting, which was harder than it looked because I had to be in complete sync with the horse's movements. Soon, Nick said, I'd move on to cantering, and then galloping. Slowly, I was seeing one of my visions come true: the two of us on horseback, having the best time of our lives. Whenever I felt anxiety over Marcus, I usually called up the vision and reminded myself that it was going to happen either way, which meant that I hadn't died like Marcus had wanted me to.

And then my pessimistic side would say that we had both died, and we were riding our horses together in our afterlife. And then I'd push it out of my mind and tell myself that what I'd seen was going to happen to me as I was living.

I put my foot in the stirrup and took a hold of the horn, pulling myself up. I settled into the saddle and then we were off, moving quickly from the barn to the lake where Nick and I had had our first real date, where we'd splashed each other and laughed. Back then, it had felt like nothing could happen to us. Back then, we were undefeatable, not worried about a thing. I wished that we could go back to those days, and hoped that after this entire fiasco with Marcus, we could.

We reached the tree where we had once tethered the horses. Nick tied them up and we walked down towards the water hand in hand. We were pretty silent on the way down, each us of locked in our own thoughts. But now, I felt Nick open up to me. He squeezed my hand and brushed my hair out of my face.

"Do you really think we're going to be able to move on?" He asked softly.

"Yes," I murmured back. I put a hand on the back of his neck, closing my eyes as our comfort went from one to the other. He sighed against my cheek. I drank him in, reveling in the fact that we were here, we were together, and we could do almost anything if we put our minds to it. "I think it's just a phase. We don't trust ourselves yet." I told him. "But one day, we'll realize that we're stronger together than Marcus could ever hope to be. And you've protected me against his every attack." I reminded him.

Nick looked away. "I'm worried that one day I'll mess up. One day, I may not be there like I'm supposed to be. Like that day that I went out with Rodney and dad, and you were attacked in your dream. I remembered the way you were screaming in my head. I don't think I could handle that again."

"Stay with me," I said, "and you won't have to."

He smiled then, and kissed me a little harder. His hands kept a tight hold on my waist, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. We stood there, kissing and laughing and talking and planning for what seemed like forever. We skipped rocks on the water and counted to see who won. It slowly got darker until the sky turned a shade of pinkish-purple that told us we'd better get a move on if we wanted to get back to the house before it became dark completely.

I stood up and wiped the dirt and grass from my jeans, running a hand through my hair. When I got back to the house, I was going to need a shower. So was Nick, for that matter. I found myself hoping that things wouldn't go back to the way they were when we got back. I wanted to continue to talk like this, to plan our future together. I wanted to talk about the house we'd have, and the horses that we'd keep in our barn, and the cats that would run around the house. Deep down inside, I could imagine the children that we might have, coming to our bedroom in the dead of night from nightmares, or begging us for a dog, or making a mess in the kitchen.

I wanted that life in front of me, more than I had ever wanted it before. Before I met Nick, I didn't have a real plan for my life. I was taking everything day by day. I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with Paul, who sometimes seemed to like his videogames more than he liked me, but I couldn't imagine what my life would be like without him. I had no idea what I was going to do in my life, or what kind of job I was going to have. I had no clue as to what I was going to do when Royce decided that I was too old to stay at home. Everything was just blank.

And then I'd met Nick, and he changed everything. At first, I was unwilling, because I didn't want anything to control me against my will. But within time, I realized that I _wanted_ what I saw with Nick. For the first time in my life, I actually _saw_ something to look forward to. And now, as the sun continued to lower into the horizon, and I looked back on the month that the two of us had spent scared to leave the house, I realized that I wanted everything that I'd seen with him. I wanted to have adventures, and to learn more than I thought I could ever know. I wanted to travel the world, go to college and get a degree. I even wanted to get _married_ to him, because I knew it was only a matter of time.

"Elsie," Nick said suddenly, breaking me away from my thoughts. I turned to look at him as I started to climb the slope. Ahead, I could see the top of the horses' heads as they listened the world around them, their ears pricking forward and swiveling around as they picked up on sounds I could never hope to hear. "Wait."

I paused. "What is it?" I asked, glancing back at him. Nick was still standing on the banks, looking out over the water. I backtracked a few steps and went to stand in front of him. "What?" I repeated, my eyes searching his. I tried to reach for his mind, but he'd brought his door down. There was something that he didn't want to tell me just yet.

He looked into my eyes. "Do you love me?"

"Of course," I answered flippantly. He didn't say anything else, and I realized that he wasn't joking with me. He was being scarily serious. "I love you more than anything in the entire world," I said quietly.

The corner of his lips twitched up at that, and he reached for my hand. Our fingers twined together, and I waited for him to say something. Something was on his mind, he just wasn't telling me. I started to worry a little, because what kind of secret could he be keeping from me?

"Elsie," he said again. "Elsie Gray." I felt my eyebrows draw together as I looked at him. What was wrong with him? "I love you more than you'll ever know. Loving you is a part of me, and I can't imagine what my world would be like without you. You're everything to me." He slowly knelt down onto one knee in front of me. My heart immediately started to pound. I could feel it in my head, in my throat. He kissed the back of my hand and gave me my favorite smile. "Elsie Gray, would you do the honor of marrying me?"

"Yes," I whispered.

**Last chapter, guys. It's a little bittersweet, and it's a little fast. But I realized that I wanted to end this chapter of Nick and Elsie's lives and allow Maggie and Caleb to continue with theirs. It's their job to handle Marcus, not Nick's, and not Elsie's. (Especially since their my characters, not Mrs. Crane's. Ha.)**

**This is the unedited version, because I'm lazy. Please forgive any grammatical/spelling errors.**

**Look forward to seeing the epilogue around Monday, okay? Thanks for reading! Leave me a review! Peace (:**


	20. Epilogue

**chocolateluvr – Aww, don't cry! I'm glad you love them. Over time, I've gotten to love them, too. And never fear, I've got another Significance fanfiction lined up. It's a spinoff of my other fanfic, Words of the Heart, so hopefully you like it (:**

**The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.**

_Epilogue: One Year Later_

A lot can change in the year. Not all of it is good, and not all of it is bad. It happens, whether or not you want it. I know that first hand, because I've wanted for so many things that actually happened, and I've wished that things wouldn't happen that did. I've realized that things are planned for us, and that the bad and the good lead us to our end goal.

I still remember the night Nick asked me to marry him. It was one of the best days of my life. I said yes, and he picked me up off my feet, spun me around in a circle, and we rode home, excited to tell his parents that we were finally getting married after so long of me telling him that I got to decide what went on in my life. We were married a week before the reunification. I wore a red dress and stood barefoot on the warm ground, and Nick and I promised to always be there for each other. He slipped a ring on my finger, and I slipped a ring on his, and we'd partied with my new family into the late hours of the night. Afterward, he took me to the home he'd bought for me – a ranch, complete with its own barn waiting to be filled with horses and mouse-hunting cats.

I hadn't invited Royce and Nolan to the wedding. They wouldn't have understood. So instead, I told them that he'd proposed properly, and we just went to the justice of the peace with Nick's family for witnesses. Royce was understandably mad, and even tried to talk me into having a real wedding ceremony, where I could invite my friends from school. I still refused, and so he was just trying to talk me into "renewing my vows," though it hadn't been that long. He got over it soon enough, though, when he realized that Nolan was just ecstatic about it. If I didn't know any better, I'd assume that he and Nick had some sort of bromance going on.

Hanna was a little mad that she hadn't gotten to play maid of honor, but she got over it soon enough when she got to fawn over my wedding ring, a beautiful princess-cut diamond with a small cluster around the base. Hanna had set out to make Rodney fall in love with her, but despite her obvious advances, he remained stoic.

Maggie called the reunification early. She said that it needed to be, because there were problems in the Ace world that we needed to address if we wanted to move on. It was a week of tension, with people staring at us funny as we played games that should've been fun. There was even a grand dance. But I never realized how cruel the Aces could be. For a group of people that lived their lives on the idea of soul mates and true love, they certainly did their fair share of keeping it apart. They tried to lock Caleb in jail for killing a man to protect his significant, which any man in the room would've done. Maggie and Caleb undid the lies that had been holding the Ace world together.

I met my biological family – the Martinezes, from Prague. Apparently, my adoption was accidental. My parents were an imprinted couple, but one night my father had business to attend to and my mother stayed home with me. That night, someone broke into the house and she died during the robbery, without her significant to save her. The authorities took a hold of me, who had somehow managed to stay safe, and in the mess of the situation I was sent to an orphanage, and within days, was adopted by my parents here in the states. I spent a lot of time at reunification getting to know my father, who was still living, although he looked haggard compared to his other family members. I didn't talk to them often, because I was Jacobson at that point, and in the Ace culture, once a woman finds her significant she rarely talks to her biological family. But I did talk to them some, because they were my family.

Maggie stripped the Watsons of their abilities, making them a lesser threat. But still, Marcus got away.

Rodney died. I'd never seen Nick so broken, not even on our wedding night, when he'd cried tears of joy. I remembered crumpling into his side, looking down at the man that had become my brother. I still remembered the way he'd walk into the house after a day of work, or how he'd smirk at me when Nick did something embarrassing, reminding me that he was who the universe had stuck me with. I remembered the day that Rodney walked in and told us to get up and stop being scared. Because of him, I'd moved on with my life. One moment he was there, and the next he was gone. I wrote a song for his funeral, but hadn't managed to play it. It was just too hard.

Maggie and Caleb got married, and so did Kyle and Lynn, and Bish and Jen, and Maggie's father. The Aces were growing again, becoming what they used to be. They went away on a honeymoon. And when they came back, they informed us that Marcus wouldn't cause us any more trouble.

It was the most freeing thing I could remember ever feeling.

Nick taught me something that I don't think I would've learned any other way. He taught me what life really was. He showed me what it was like to love someone, wholly and unconditionally, and he taught me how to work together to make decisions. He reminded me every day of the life I'd won merely by accident. Together, we moved forward and carved our place in the world. We reveled in our joy and faced our fears. Every day, I was thankful for my life as it was. I'd found my soul mate, my one true love.

And to think, it all started with a broken purse strap.

_**The End.**_

**This is the end! It's kind of sad, but I'm honestly a little glad to be done with it. It was… an adventure.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as did. Thank you all so much for continuing to read all the way through. If you're looking for more, check out my other fanfic, **_**Words of the Heart**_**, and have no fear, I have another Significance FF on the backburner to be published after a finish a few others that I've already started, so check back often.**

**If you have anything else that you want to add, leave me a review. Since I won't be answering this last chapter's reviews, if you really, **_**really**_** want an answer, PM me your comments/questions. Thank you again! You guys are wonderful! PEACE (:**


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